Newly crowned UFC welterweight champion Jack Della Maddalena has voiced his support for the UFC regarding its fighter pay structure.
The compensation for fighters in the UFC is a subject that consistently faces broad criticism, especially for debuting athletes who often sign contracts paying $12,000 to show and another $12,000 for a win.
Despite these criticisms, the UFC remains the ultimate goal for most aspiring MMA fighters, primarily due to its dominant position in the sport.
Interestingly, the promotion`s pay structure has found an unexpected defender in its recently crowned champion, Jack Della Maddalena.
Della Maddalena Supports UFC Amidst Pay Controversy
At UFC 315 last month, Della Maddalena delivered a dominant performance to defeat Belal Muhammad and claim the UFC welterweight title.
The impressive 28-year-old Australian is one of several notable fighters from the country competing in the leading promotion, including featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski.
Della Maddalena joined the UFC in 2022 after earning a contract through Dana White’s Contender Series.
Throughout his successful run in the promotion, his purse has only been publicly disclosed by the Athletic Commission for one fight: his UFC debut where he earned $20,000 for beating Pete Rodriguez.
Adding a layer of irony to his stance, prior to his title fight against Belal Muhammad, Della Maddalena actually needed to organize a fundraiser to help cover his coaches` travel expenses, as the UFC does not pay for travel for all coaching staff.
Nevertheless, the new welterweight king recently backed the UFC`s fighter pay system in a message directed at his fellow fighters.
Sharing an image of his UFC title on his Instagram story, Della Maddalena stated, “I love this company and everything it stands for.”
He continued, “It has brought me joy since I was 12. If you don’t like the contract, don’t sign it. If the guys at the bottom were paid as much as those at the top, there would be no incentive to reach the top.”
This perspective aligns with that of UFC veteran Matt Brown, who has argued that if anyone is responsible for the current fighter pay structure, it is the fighters themselves.
Dana White Gives Update on Della Maddalena’s Next Fight
Immediately after securing the title against Muhammad, it was indicated that Della Maddalena`s first defense would potentially be against Islam Makhachev.
The welterweight champion recently mentioned a potential timeline for this bout, suggesting October or November as the most likely months.
Following UFC 316 the previous Saturday, UFC President Dana White offered a brief update on the prospective matchup, saying: “Yeah, it was incredible, an incredible performance. We’re working on some stuff, yeah.”
Benedict Kingsley 
Rupert Hartwell