Teddy Atlas Warns UFC of “Rebellion” After Conor Benn’s $15M PaydayTeddy Atlas Warns UFC of “Rebellion” After Conor Benn’s $15M Payday

Legendary boxing trainer Teddy Atlas has warned Dana White of a UFC fighter rebellion following the shocking reports of Conor Benn’s £15m dollar payday to fight Regis Prograis on April 11th.

Atlas also said that the White House card lacks ‘sizzle’ but shouldn’t be halted by the ongoing conflict in Iran, whilst also urging the UFC to release Jon Jones from his contract.

Speaking to BetVictor Online Casinos, Atlas said: 

• Conor Benn $15M payday can cause a UFC fighter ‘rebellion
• The UFC should release Jon Jones from his contract
• The war in Iran shouldn’t stop the UFC White House card from happening 
• The White House card lacks sizzle – but has good, solid fights 

Teddy Atlas: Conor Benn $15M payday can cause a UFC fighter ‘rebellion’, the UFC should release Jon Jones and the White House card lacks sizzle – but Iran conflict shouldn’t stop it

Conor Benn $15M payday can cause a UFC fighter ‘rebellion

Will Conor Benn earn $15 million unsettle UFC fighters? Will it cause a rebellion? It might.  Will it cause a rustling of thinking about a rebellion before it gets to a rebellion, which it might never get to? Yeah, it might. But the one thing that will control that is this, remember, where are they gonna go? It’s not like they got a lot of options. Yeah, they’re gonna rebel. Yeah, they’re gonna get unsatisfied. And I don’t blame them. But, where are you gonna go?

I want the UFC fighters to make more money. But there has to be a market for that. It has to be a business component to it. They look at it and say they deserve it. The punishment they take with 4-ounce gloves, kicks with knees, that element of danger, that element of risk is so high. Damn right they deserve to make 15 million [like Conor Benn]. But that doesn’t mean that there’s a market for every one of them to make it.

I’m not defending Dana White. He could defend himself, he’s a businessman, no doubt about it. And he’s built something. And he wants to keep control over it. He wants to keep those guardrails. And he wants to keep the business. He wants to keep the format that he built, the structure of that business, where it’s controlled, where it makes sense money-wise for him. He wants to keep that in place. I understand that.

The UFC should release Jon Jones from his contract

I believe that when you get to that place later in your life, when your window to compete is very small and closing, because you only have a certain shelf life as an athlete. When you’re getting close to the end of it, I think it is incumbent on both sides to remember loyalty. I think it’s incumbent on Jon Jones to remember it, but then, for the UFC, Dana White, whoever it is, to also say, “We can’t pay you this now, at this point, it doesn’t make sense. But we’ve had a good journey together. We helped you get there, and you helped us. We helped each other. And I’m going to say now, go over there. Go finish it over there while you have this opportunity.”

The war in Iran shouldn’t stop the UFC White House card from happening 

It’s very responsible to say, “Teddy, is it a good time to put on a White House event, with this environment, with this atmosphere right now, with this risk in the world?” I would say: the day we stop living our lives because of these threats, whether it’s terrorists, whether it’s a hateful regime like Iran that believes that certain people don’t have a right to exist. 

But if that day comes where we stop living our lives as free people, as good people, then they’ve won. When we start canceling events, stop going to concerts, stop going to ball games because of those risks of those people, they’ve won. We can’t let them win.

So whether it’s the Iran war, whether it’s the event at the White House, if that event wants to be put on, because of the reasons why it wants to be put on, for entertainment and all the things that are attached to that, that should be put on. They should not be allowed to stop us from doing the things we want to do as free people.

Yes, we have to take measurements. Yes, there will be an extra risk. Yeah, I understand. Yes, there is. But there’s a greater risk in stopping to live as free people. There’s a greater risk in allowing those people to stop you from living your normal life, from following the things you want to follow in life. There’s a greater risk to that, and that we can’t afford to happen.

The White House card lacks sizzle – but has good, solid fights 

I think it’s a good, solid card. It might not have the “sizzle” or the “Roman candles” that maybe some expected, like what Conor McGregor or Jon Jones might bring, but I think we got something better: real, good, solid fights.

Topuria is special. He is a special, special specimen, mentally and physically. He checks all the boxes for me. He’s mentally together, tested, fireproof, technically solid, and very gifted. Crucially, he’s not satisfied. He’s not content just to do enough to win. He wants to know how good he can be, always pushing himself further. He looks to eliminate his opponents. That drive and risk-taking nature, which I see in him, is what leads to his knockouts. A lot of guys would stop pushing and settle for a decision, but his nature is to push and take risks. He’s always looking to do more, responsibly and with good technique, but he pushes himself a little further each time. That’s exciting and rare. I don’t need flamethrowers or sword swallowers if I have that kind of talent and drive. I’ll do without the circus acts.

While I love Gaethje, he’s a warrior, I think he’s the perfect opponent for Topuria’s style. Topuria will look to blow him out, giving the fans excitement.