UFC 321 wasn\u2019t everyone\u2019s cup of tea and not just because of an unsatisfying main event.<\/p>\n
By now, everyone has had their say about Tom Aspinall being poked in the eyes by Ciryl Gane and left unable to continue in their heavyweight championship fight, but even before that debacle, the action from Saturday\u2019s main card was uneven. Mackenzie Dern vs. Virna Jandiroba and Umar Nurmagomedov vs. Mario Bautista were high-level affairs, but neither is likely to end up on any Fight of the Year lists. And the less said about the dreary Alexander Volkov vs. Jailton Almeida matchup, the better.<\/p>\n
Suffice to say, for those viewers who prefer standup action, there wasn\u2019t much to speak of in the final four fights and the event as a whole set a UFC record for most successful takedowns:<\/p>\n
On his JAXXON<\/a> podcast, Quinton \u201cRampage\u201d Jackson and his co-hosts lamented the lack of highlights produced by UFC 321\u2019s bigger names and he suggested the promotion should ante up if it wants fighters to prioritize action.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m going to tell you how the UFC could fix it,\u201d Jackson said. \u201cIf I was a promoter and I had the bankroll the UFC had, I would up the Fight of the Night bonus. They just made seven billion more dollars just for rights, right? I would up the Fight of the Night bonus to a million dollars. So there\u2019s two more million dollars per show, they can afford it. You\u2019re going to get more exciting fights.\u201d<\/p>\n Jackson is referring to the six-year, $7.7 billion dollar broadcasting partnership deal the UFC recently signed with Paramount, which begins in 2026. It remains unclear how much fighters will benefit from the enormous profits the organization is due to make, though UFC CEO Dana White has said fight night bonuses\u2014which have traditionally been set at $50,000 with the occasional exception\u2014will go up<\/a>.<\/p>\n At best, Jackson thinks the bonuses will double.<\/p>\n \u201cI would say they\u2019re going to up it [100 percent], like, [$100,000], right?\u201d Jackson said. \u201cI would do a million if I make seven billion dollars just off selling the rights?\u201d<\/p>\n The debate over whether fighters should prioritize entertainment over victory has raged for years and is only complicated by the UFC\u2019s show and win system. There\u2019s little incentive for a fighter to be reckless if it means potentially only receiving half their pay check. Add in the fact that a large chunk of the current roster are currently on low-end Contender Series contracts and one can understand why a seven-figure incentive might make throwing caution the wind irresistible.<\/p>\n Jackson, who earned three Fight of the Night awards in his eight-year UFC career, sees only upside to the UFC shelling out more for bonus-winning fighters.<\/p>\n \u201cI think this is how you fix it,\u201d Jackson said. \u201cYou want more exciting fights? \u2026 Because that Fight of the Night bonus be bigger than some people\u2019s purse.\u201d<\/p>\n Yikes. According to Tom Aspinall\u2019s father Andy, the heavyweight champ is still struggling with his vision<\/a> after UFC 321 eye poke.<\/p>\n Top-5? Mackenzie Dern is a UFC champion, but where does she land on MMA Fighting\u2019s Women\u2019s Pound-for-Pound list<\/a>?<\/p>\n Silence. Matt Brown is irritated by critics piling on Aspinall<\/a> for being on the receiving end of a foul.<\/p>\n Ronin. UFC legend Carlos Newton goes in on the promotion\u2019s business practices<\/a>.<\/p>\n Harsh. Paddy Pimblett deems UFC 321 \u201cone of the worst pay-per-views\u201d ever<\/a>.<\/p>\n David Onama and Steve Garcia headline UFC Vegas 110 this Saturday.<\/p>\n Have you heard enough opinions about the UFC 321 main event yet?<\/p>\n Chael Sonnen weighs in on the great Paddy Pimblett debate.<\/p>\n Fighter vs. Writer. MMA Fighting\u2019s Damon Martin talks to Matt Brown about the controversy surrounding Tom Aspinall being unable to continue after an eye poke at UFC 321, plus the potential Jon Jones vs. Alex Pereira fight, Conor McGregor\u2019s UFC White House plans, and more.<\/p>\n SOCIAL MEDIA BOUILLABAISSE<\/p>\n The definitive fight week schedule.<\/p>\n This was legitimately insane when it happened.<\/p>\n I admit I don\u2019t understand fashion.<\/p>\n More money for the fighters please, whether that means pumping up contracts or handing out more and bigger bonuses. I\u2019ve always been of the mind that every finish should receive a bonus, even if it\u2019s a quick or controversial stoppage. The UFC can afford it.<\/p>\n If you find something you\u2019d like to see in the Morning Report, hit up @AlexanderKlee<\/a> or @JedKMeshew<\/a> on Twitter and let us know about it. Also, follow MMAFighting on Twitter<\/a>, Instagram<\/a>, YouTube<\/a>, TikTok<\/a>, and like us on Facebook<\/a>.<\/p>\n