The UFC’s new broadcast era will begin with some new incentives for fighters.
For more than a decade, the standard fight night purse has been $50,000. Sometimes they surge for special occasions — but UFC CEO Dana White says by 2024, those days are over.
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But with UFC 324 taking place on Saturday at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, the four standard bonuses (usually two fight of the night bonuses and two performance bonuses, although sometimes four individual performance bonuses) will shift to the new standard: $100,000.
Additionally, the UFC will offer a $25,000 performance bonus to any fighter who wins by knockout or submission, but will not receive one of four major $100,000 checks.
Sports Business Journal reported the news, and White promised to reveal the news to the magazine. In 2014, MMA Junkie first reported that the UFC had adjusted its post-fight bonus pay structure to $50,000 per bonus. A few years ago, fees ranged from $40,000 to $75,000, seemingly depending on the size of the event.
In some cases, White will announce larger prizes — such as a $300,000 check for UFC 300, or additional prize winners when the event produces a string of worthy results. But he also expressed dissatisfaction with being forced to offer larger bonuses in the past. After UFC 304, he said he would never increase his bonus due to pressure.
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“I think tonight showed that we shouldn’t, no,” White said at the time. “Raising their level doesn’t change anything – it doesn’t make them fight harder. It doesn’t change anything. I won’t do it again. Ever. Today is the last day I do it.
“I’m not saying the bonus can’t be increased in the future, but I’m holding a press conference saying ‘$200(K)! $300(K)!’ –fNever again. Never again. So you can thank everyone on this card for that. No one fights harder, there’s no sense of urgency – “Oh my God”t, I want $100,000. Seven decisions in a row…that $100,000 is a lot of moneycking “woohoo”. Let’s get started, kids. FLook at that shit. Never again. “
But now that the UFC has struck a new deal with Paramount+ worth $7.7 billion, White and other UFC spokespeople have been saying that fighter pay will rise significantly in response. There is no doubt that this year’s promotional payout will be more than double the bonus payout in the past.
Whether the fighters will respond is a question that will soon be answered.
This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Prize money doubled to $100K, $25K per finish starting at UFC 324
