Las Vegas, Nevada – August 12: UFC Chairman and CEO Dana White announces the winners of the contract during the series of Dana White Season Nine, Week One at the UFC Apex on August 12th 2025 in Las Vegas. (Photo by Chris UNGER/Zuffa LLC)
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Regarding UFC heels that announced the upcoming $ 7.7 billion rights agreement with Paramount, Dana White was forced to hit questions about what the new agreement would mean for the future of promotion as well as fighters.
During the presser after the event after the first episode of the new season of Dana White’s series, White did one thing clear: “The bonuses are obviously going up.
Here is the clip.
White refers to the fighter bonuses that have traditionally been put in $ 50,000 for each of the two night winners and another $ 50,000 per piece for fighters who take the night of discrimination.
These bonuses have been an UFC manifestation component for years, serving as an important motivation for fighters to put unforgettable performances and fascinating battles for fans.
White did not say exactly how high the bonuses would rise, but given that the new rights agreement is five times the size of the latter, it would make sense to double bonuses – at least.
A jump of $ 50,000 to $ 100,000 per bonus would be a player-changer for many fighters, especially those lower on the card whose basic pay is still relatively moderate compared to the top stars.
Having a fighter earning $ 100,000 for a night show would have a significantly greater impact on their life and careers. It could help them invest in better training camps, pay off debts or simply get financial pressure so they can focus more on preparation.
Some may even argue that bonuses should exceed that given the scale of the new media rights agreement.
As is the case, it is refreshing to learn that there will be an increase. Even so, this development raises a much bigger question: How will the new UFC basic inflow on fighters pay? And perhaps just as important, how open will promote this information?
White said in the media that things are still processing and that the UFC does not need to have definitive answers by January, when the historic agreement with Paramount begins. Then the new distribution model-which will make every UFC event available to Paramount+ subscribers without additional pay-per-view-to-take-back payers.
If the total share of revenue for fighters is not increased, the UFC will still be at the intersections of critics who believe that promotion should exceed more than 17-20% of its athletes today.
This number is dramatically lower than the share of revenue in other major professional sports leagues, where athletes often get 48-50% of league revenue.
With this deal, the UFC has been able to calm some of these criticism.
The greatest transparency and a remarkable impulse of fighter remuneration could help shift the narrative, especially at a time when fighter unions and collective bargaining remain hot button issues in the sport.
In the coming weeks and months, we will learn more about how the new rights agreement will directly affect both fighters and fans. For the time being, the only certainty is that bonuses are going up – and for many fighters, this is already a win that is worth fighting to win.


