Back in 2021, Conor McGregor shattered expectations and etched his name into sports history by topping the Forbes list of highest-paid athletes. Surpassing global giants like Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, the Irishman became the first MMA fighter ever to claim the No. 1 spot—a landmark achievement for a sport still seen as relatively young compared to soccer or basketball. But McGregor wasn’t the only fighter to taste financial success at the highest level of MMA. His fiercest rival, Khabib Nurmagomedov, also ascended to extraordinary heights—particularly after his victory over McGregor at the monumental UFC 229.
As UFC CEO Dana White revealed, “He (Nurmagomedov) didn’t even make it back to his dressing room… Putin gave him and his father, like, $20 million [£15.7m in today’s money] worth of property in Russia.” That jaw-dropping reward stunned fans and pundits alike, fueling the belief that MMA had finally evolved into a sport where athletes could secure generational wealth. Modern stars like Islam Makhachev, who proudly displays his Mercedes-Benz G63 AMG and Arman Tsarukyan, spotted training next to a Rolls Royce, only reinforced the narrative that today’s elite fighters are thriving.
But that image only scratches the surface. Behind the spotlight, many fighters face a very different reality. Talk about the current 125lbs champ Alexandre Pantoja who had to work part-time as an Uber Eats driver while competing in the UFC! Or Merab Dvalishvili who had to work various construction jobs in the starting phase of his UFC career. More recently, there was an alleged report that Jack Della Maddalena was raising funds for his team to travel from his native Australia to Montreal for his 170lbs title fight against Belal Muhammad at UFC 315. Although this fundraiser proved to be fraudulent event and wasn’t a fundraiser at all in the first place. Moreover, the Aussie was not even informed about his name being used for the same.
According to a report from Damon Martin: “Jack was making a paid appearance and there was a miscommunication with the venue, who actually made that post and it was absolutely outside of Jack’s permission or knowledge.” However, the issue of fighter pay and accommodation is still a lingering issue. The situation sparked wider discussion when Joe Lopez, the longtime coach of 145lbs great Alexander Volkanovski, addressed it during an appearance on Submission Radio.
“The UFC doesn’t cover the flights for your entire team,” Joe Lopez didn’t sugarcoat the reality. “Yeah, yeah it is. You know, they don’t understand the hardships. These guys are not living the Conor McGregor lifestyle, I’ll tell you that now. You know, maybe once you win a couple of world titles, you might start getting there. But at this stage of their careers, man, these guys are struggling. They’ve got to feed their families, they’ve got to pay their coaches. And then, like you said, bringing over your team, feeding them, bringing over training partners—it all costs money. You’ve got to put these people up. It’s all expense,” he added.
MMA: UFC 284 Della Maddalena vs Brown Feb 12, 2023, Perth, WA, AUSTRALIA Jack Della Maddalena red gloves celebrates after defeating Randy Brown not pictured during UFC 284 at RAC Arena. Perth RAC Arena WA AUSTRALIA, EDITORIAL USE ONLY PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xJasminxFrankx 20230211_jhp_ou2_0841
In truth, fighters often bear a significant portion of the financial burden just to make it to fight night. It’s a well-established norm in the UFC and other top MMA promotions: While the organization typically covers travel expenses for the fighter and one or two cornermen, any additional team members or coaches are the fighter’s responsibility. That reality recently made headlines when a fundraiser related to Jack Della Maddalena began circulating online. Despite the clarification, the incident wasn’t an isolated case. In fact, the conversation around fighter travel costs dates back years.
In 2016, Paul Felder launched a GoFundMe campaign to cover his travel expenses for a bout in Brazil, raising uncomfortable questions for Dana White and the UFC about fighter compensation and support. Until the organization reevaluates its policies, situations like these will continue to emerge—making it all the more important to understand how travel allowances and financial logistics truly operate behind the scenes in MMA.
Ex-UFC fighter breaks down fight travel costs amid Jack Della Maddalena controversy
Joe Lauzon, a former UFC lightweight standout, built a strong legacy in the sport—not just for his performances but also for earning a record 15 post-fight bonus awards in the division. Though now retired, Lauzon, like many fighters, once had to shoulder the financial burden of traveling with his team across countries for fight week.
In 2016, amid controversy surrounding Paul Felder’s travel expenses, Lauzon stepped up to clarify how fight-related costs are actually divided between fighters and the UFC. He offered a candid breakdown of the numbers—highlighting the hidden expenses many fans don’t see.
“UFC pays for two flights,” Lauzon explained. “Fighter + 1 Corner in most cases. We always have the UFC book the two most expensive flights. I fly out with my guys on Tuesday for a Saturday fight, but one of my coaches usually comes out on Friday which is usually a more expensive flight… so the UFC will do that flight… and then another expensive flight. Sometimes it’s a coach, sometimes it’s my wife. We are allowed 3 corners… plus fighter… so 4 flights is usually the minimum we go with. So if the UFC pays for two, the fighter pays for the other 2 (or more).”
Now that you’ve heard Lauzon’s firsthand breakdown, what’s your take on Alexander Volkanovski’s coach highlighting how fighters like Jack Della Maddalena often foot the bill for their whole team? Should the promotion step up and cover all expenses, or is it fair for fighters to shoulder that cost? Let us know what you think in the comments.
The post “Not Living the Conor McGregor Lifestyle” – Jack Della Maddalena’s Fundraising Controversy Get Backing From Alexander Volkanovski’s Camp appeared first on EssentiallySports.
