Imagine that you have a UFC athlete in Financial Limbo, and at the last minute an opponent pulls out of your return for the return of big money-that can be a death sentence for every professional career.
Dana White is regularly in the spotlight on UFC Fighter Pay, where the vast majority of the headlines around athletes are not sufficiently paid to compensate for the risks involved; Let alone for training camp and coaching expenditure.
However, there are also numerous stories about the UFC -CEO that shows more than his honest part of Goodwill, with popular British striking Nathaniel Wood who now revealed how White once saved his career with a salary he didn't have to make.
Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty images
UFC Fighter remembers how Dana White saved his career with surprising payment
After having dropped a Shading Decree on Casey Kenny in October 2020, Nathaniel 'The Prospect' Wood was out of operation and on the sidelines for almost two years.
At that time he had collected some debts and considered his options when the UFC came home to a return home at UFC Fight Night: Aspinall vs Volkov in 2022.
Unfortunately, his original opponent did not only withdraw from the fight, but also the athlete that was set up as the late-note replacement.
“The UFC said,” Of course you are not going to fight “and I was told that I would get some compensation money,” Wood explained during a recent video on Fightfront.
“As you can imagine, I didn't wait for compensation money; I got $ 26,000 to fight and $ 26,000 to win – and at that time I was at least £ 2000 [in debt]. I just pronounced something, had a tax assessment and I didn't do the best.
“It was as if 'ah s – compensation money will not be great', and I was told that it might be five to ten thousand [dollars]”Wood said, remembering how Dana White came like his guardian angel, kind.
“Backstage at the ceremonial weightings I see Dana White, he comes by and I said, 'Dana, I was stripped, I was ready to put my life at stake, I did everything I can, I have been, me I was told about compensation, but that really happens because I really need it. '
“And he said,” Don't worry, I'll pay you everything ” – so he not only paid me for my fighting pass, but he also paid me the profit bonus … then someone came up and told me 'yes , so we pay you $ 52,000, even if we don't have to do that. “
Wood described that salary as “life -changing money”, because if he hadn't got that wallet, “there is a good chance that I might have had some work on the side or just said enough is enough.
'The man who gives everyone stick [to] Payed me when he didn't have to pay me, “Wood said and noticed that he was” very happy “because that money paid for his wedding a few months later.
Nathaniel Wood returns to UFC promotion on UFC Fight Night: London
In his most recent fight, 'The Prospect' scored a solid decision victory on Daniel Pineda and is now planned to compete again at UFC Fight Night: Edwards vs della Maddalena in March.
Wood may have won some momentum thanks to that impressive UD victory, but certainly has a much harder matchup for him against the rising French competition, Morgan Chariere.
In 2023, Carriere burst on the MMA scene with a first round TKO from Manolo Zecchini.
While 'The Last Pirate' may have lost a razor-close split decision for Chepe Mariscal last April, the stylish Frenchman bounced back with a second round TKO by Gabriel Miranda in September.
After his combat bonuses, Carriere also won in each of his three UFC fights so far.
Wood vs Carriere is planned for March 22 on the main map of UFC Fight Night: Edwards vs della Maddalena and according to the UFC website that main map will be opened.
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