Fans upset after ESPN+’s monthly subscription price increases by 43%, jibe at UFC president Dana White

Dana White and the UFC have come under fire from MMA fans following a reported increase in ESPN+ subscription costs. The subscription fee will reportedly increase from $6.99 per month to $9.99 starting August 23.

Bloomberg first reported this 43 percent price increase, which was later confirmed by MMA Fighting. A UFC PPV, which costs $74.99, can only be purchased if you have an ESPN+ subscription.

The price increase comes at a time when the UFC and its President Dana White are being snubbed for underpaying UFC fighters. White recently drew a lot of criticism for giving the Nelk Boys’ Kyle Forgeard a whopping $250,000 for the YouTuber’s birthday.

In response to a tweet from MMA Fighting regarding ESPN+’s price increase, many MMA fans jibed at the UFC and White.

A fan tweeted:

“How else is Dana going to give his buddies $250,000 for their birthday?”

Another Twitter user claimed:

“Yes, I am canceling my subscription. The only reason I had it was because it was less than $10.”

In addition to these responses, some fans pointed out that (for some users) the ESPN+ app works “50% of the time.” Others joked that the UFC president “has to pay that 250,000 back.”

Some fans also targeted the Nelk Boys. Meanwhile, others indicated that they’d rather follow other MMA action like Bellator and PFL:

Dan Hardy’s take on Dana White and UFC fighter pay

Former UFC fighter Dan Hardy responded to a video tweeted by Kyle Forgeard that showed Dana White presenting him with $250,000. “The Outlaw” suggests that the UFC president might pay all 15 top UFC fighters $250,000 each on their birthdays.

Dan Hardy then stressed that the idea wasn’t far-fetched and that White could afford it. In a swipe at the UFC over fighter pay, Hardy tweeted that the UFC could pay her fighters instead of White out of the billions she raises:

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“Just for context — it’s only $45 million, which would leave about $455 million of his profits from selling the UFC…them about $955 million.”