We’ve all heard the big fight pay-per-view numbers after every UFC show. But not very many people actually understand how these fighters are getting paid. Once you get the hang of it, the UFC salary structure is not very different in principle from other sports. But for the sake of clarity, we’ll take our time to illustrate how and how much UFC fighters get paid. Since this is a highly debated topic, we’ll take it basics after basics.
How Much do UFC Fighters get Paid per Fight: What is the Average Salary
Paige VanZant, UFC flyweight “Their business practices are hardcore and cut-throat. We’re paid like entertainers when we should be paid like athletes“.
Let’s ignore the exceptions for a second, most UFC fighters will only ever fall within the average annual pay size. Even in the average fold, fighters’ annual salary still depends on their base pay numbers and general popularity in the sport. Nevertheless, the average salary of a UFC fighter falls between $152,000 and $228,000, annually.
In the end, a fighter’s average salary depends a lot on their contractual base pay, win bonuses, sponsorship deals and performance incentives.
How much do UFC Fighters Make per fight
Considering the average fighter only gets to see the Octagon two to three times a year, the average pay becomes $50,000 per fight. However, the UFC roster comprises low-tier, medium-tier and high-tier fighters. This demarcation established a huge gap in fighters’ per-fight pay.
The lowest fighters on the rooster make between $20,000 to $40,000 per fight. And on the far end, the highest-ranking fighters make between $550,000 to $3,000,000 per fight.
How many UFC fighters make over $1 million?
On an annual basis, we’ve seen a fair number of fighters make over the $1 million mark. However, only a select few fighters do that number in one fight. On the current roster, only about 11 individuals generate enough numbers that guarantee a million-dollar payday every fight. Some of these fighters include;
- Alex Pereira
- Jon Jones
- Israel Adesanya
- Sean O’Malley
Who is the highest-paid UFC fighter?
You just can’t resist the speculation of who goes home with the biggest bag in this game on the UFC roster. And we’re not leaving things to speculation. Collating data from UFC’s last few years, the numbers clearly show Connor McGregor as the highest-paid UFC athlete. The Irishman has raked a whopping $39 million in payouts alone, not including his pay-per-view numbers.
While Mr Notorious has made more money from boxing and sponsorships, he has done enough to hold the spot as the highest-paid UFC athlete of all time. On a more recent basis, Brazilian powerhouse Alex Pereira was the highest-paid UFC fighter of 2024. This one comes as no surprise, as he was the most active top-tier fighter in the UFC the past year.
Fun Fact: McGregor has headlined some of the UFC’s most lucrative events, including UFC 229 against Khabib Nurmagomedov, which generated over 2.4 million pay-per-view buys—the highest in UFC history.
UFC fighter pay structure
As we hinted earlier, a fighter’s net pay in the UFC depends on a couple of parameters, which determine the pay structure. Our guess is that the UFC tries as much as possible not to overpay its athletes hence the pay structure. In essence, these fighters only get paid a rough equivalent of what they bring to the brand. Here’s a proper breakdown of what the structure entails;
The base salary
Jon Jones, UFC Heavyweight champion – “This may sound a little cold, but in life, you get what you earn… I feel like I’ve committed my whole life to this sport. Finally, I feel like I’m getting what I’ve earned“.
When signing a contract with the UFC, a fighter’s base pay is negotiated there and then. This is a stipulated amount which the person is guaranteed as long as they show up for a fight. It could be as low as $10,000 or as much as a couple million. The idea of base pay is a level of security, as long as you show up, you’ll earn this.
Typically, once fighters gain some traction and establish their worth, this base pay is renegotiated from time to time.
Performance related bonuses
Surely you’ve seen Dana White announcing the performance of the night bonuses. Essentially, every UFC event reserves extra paychecks for two fighters who put up an outstanding performance. As of the recent events, this amount totals $50,000. There are also bonuses awarded to two athletes who put up the fight for the night performance.
Earnings outside the octagon: sponsorships and endorsements
Certain fighters also receive sponsorship fees from UFC’s partners and other brands, periodically. Some of the company’s biggest partners include Monster Energy and Reebok, which guarantee many fighters extra pay.
On the other spectrum, many fighters like Israel Adesanya, Conor McGregor, etc have individual sponsorship deals with media companies, sports books and even online casinos. Speaking of online casinos, it is no surprise that they’re sponsoring more and more events and athletes in sports. The industry is on a forward march with lucrative services and tons of player incentives. It all means you wouldn’t search much to find recommended sites for no deposit offers if you are hopping on the casino bandwagon. You can try your luck at Richard Casino login.
Fun Fact: Top-tier fighters and champions can negotiate pay-per-view (PPV) points, earning a percentage of the revenue from PPV sales. For example, stars like Conor McGregor and Khabib Nurmagomedov have earned millions through PPV shares.
Finally
In the end, Dana White is never mincing words when he affirms that every UFC fighter is getting paid what they deserve. The fighting promotion has one of the tightest pay structures in combat sports. First, base pays are aptly negotiated then bonuses and sponsor rewards are very streamlined. So to make good money per fight, you’d have to make it to the top tier of your division.
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