UFC fighter pay is expected to increase when the organisation’s new broadcast deal with CBS and Paramount comes into play in 2026.
MMA’s premier promotion recently put pen to paper on a lucrative seven-year deal with merger company, ViacomCBS, worth $7.7billion.
Streaming service Paramount+ will exclusively distribute all of the UFC‘s numbered events and Fight Nights from 2026, meaning the organisation will no longer operate under a pay-per-view model.
This led to concerns about whether the new format will impact fighter pay for those who earn pay-per-view points.
But UFC president Dana White has reassured his roster that they will receive more money under the new deal.
“When you do a deal like this, we were talking about how good it is for the fans, it’s obviously good for the company, but it’s incredible for the fighters,” White told the Pardon My Take Podcast.
“We always had a model where you eat what you kill.
“With the pay-per-views, mathematically, you just figure that out.
“It’s going to be incredible. Since 2001, the day we bought this company, fighter pay has gone up.
“Every new deal we have done, fighter pay has gone up, and obviously, fighter pay will go up for this deal.
“Not just financially for the fighters, but the amount of exposure now that they are going to get.
“More people can tune in for $12.99 than they could for $80 plus.”
White was vague on how exactly the pay would increase when he was quizzed by assembled media on Tuesday at a Contender Series press conference.
However, he did affirm that bonuses would get a healthy boost.
“The low-hanging fruit that’s easy to answer: The bonuses are obviously going up,” said White.
How much are the UFC bonuses?
Performance bonuses have remained at $50,000 since their implementation in 2006, with the exception of a select few events, such as UFC 300, where they were temporarily increased.
Fighter salaries have also been a point of contention for many athletes over the years.
New signings typically earn between $10,000 and $30,000 a fight, while some champions never touch seven figures.
In 2024, the UFC settled an antitrust lawsuit for $375million, where 1,067 fighters were compensated for being underpaid from 2010 to 2017.