Dana White’s Sponsorship Pay for UFC Vegas 85 Released; How Much Will the Fighters Earn in Promotional Guideline Compliance at the Fight Night?

Fighter pay has become a point of scrutiny for the UFC under CEO Dana White. The promotion and its revenue-sharing practices have been criticized by analysts and experts. According to reports online, while leagues like MLB and the NBA share an estimated 50% or more of their revenue with their athletes, the UFC lags behind by a significant margin!

America’s Favorite Video Today

As such, in a recent post on social media, the “Fight Week Incentive Pay” was revealed for the upcoming UFC Vegas 85 event. While the details only include payout from sponsorship deals, the numbers highlight the complex system being utilized to classify fighters based on ‘tiers’. Let’s take a look at what the numbers say!

Stunning fighter’s sponsorship payout details under Dana White at UFC Vegas 85 ADVERTISEMENT

Article continues below this ad

As UFC Vegas 85 approaches, details about the promotional guideline compliance pay, overseen by Dana White, have emerged. In a post shared on X by Jed I. Goodman, the breakdown unveils a tier-based system for fighter payouts.

It’s important to note that that this is not part of the fighters’ purse but a separate allocation, specifically the Venum sponsorship pay. Additionally, the pay extends to include Zuffa-era WEC fights (Jan ’07 & later) and Zuffa-era Strikeforce bouts (Apr ’11 & later).

Trending

Get instantly notified of the hottest UFC stories via Google! Click on Follow Us and Tap the Blue Star.

Tier 1, including 12 fighters, is set to receive $4K each. Tier 2, represented by 1 fighter, is slated for a $4.5K payout. Tier 3, comprising 8 fighters, will earn $6K each. Tier 4, with 3 fighters, is entitled to $11K each. Tier 5, featuring 1 fighter, will see a payout of $16K. Tier 6, represented by 1 fighter, is positioned for a $21K payout.

Tier 1:
Khizriev
Urbina
Radtke
Maksum
Gorimbo
Rodriguez
Lee
Bilder
Quinones
Mederos
Petersen
Pogues

Tier 2:
Silva

Tier 3:
Dolidze
Imavov
Salikhov
Muradov
Belbita
Johnson
Carolina
Stoliarenko

Tier 4:
Moicano
Araujo
McCann

Tier 5:
Brown

Tier 6:
Dober

— Jed I. Goodman © (@jedigoodman) February 3, 2024

The breakdown is categorized based on the number of UFC fights:

1-3 UFC fights: $4K

4 or 5 UFC fights: $4.5K

6-10 UFC fights: $6K

11-15 UFC fights: $11K

16-20 UFC fights: $16K

Over 20 UFC fights: $21K

Challenger: $32K

Champion: $42K

The list of fighters in each tier is extensive, encompassing names like Roman Dolidze, Nassourdine Imavov, Renato Moicano, and Drew Dober.

These sponsorship payouts add another layer to the fighters’ earnings, providing more insight into the financial aspects beyond their purses. The breakdown emphasized the varying compensation levels based on experience and achievement within the UFC, shedding light on the intricacies of fighter pay in the promotion.

Watch This Story: What Is Dana White’s Diet Plan? What Helped UFC CEO Achieve His Transformation

And CEO Dana White recently revealed his thoughts on the differences in income between fighters competing in the UFC compared to boxers!

White defends UFC fighters’ income compared to boxing In a recent conversation on the TRUTH podcast with Vivek Ramaswamy, Dana White shed light on the payment dynamics in the UFC, drawing comparisons with boxing. He stated, “Whoever the champion is in boxing, gets the lion’s share of the revenue.”

White highlighted that in boxing, champions receive a significant share of the revenue, a contrast to the UFC where UFC champions become partners in the business and receive PPV points instead. It’s also important to note that UFC’s PPV structure has long been criticized for its low payouts.

Article continues below this ad

But the UFC boss defended the promotion’s pay structure by citing the example of Jim Miller, a veteran in the sport, who has been with the UFC since 2008! He stated, “If you ask most people, they wouldn’t know who Jim Miller is, and the guy’s made millions of dollars.”

However, Miller’s case remains an exception, emphasizing the need to address the broader concerns raised by fighters and critics regarding equitable compensation within the UFC.

What do you think about the UFC’s pay structure for fighters under Dana White? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

Article continues below this ad

Providing feedback will help us make your experience better.

Enjoyed Your Read? Let us know how likely you are to recommend EssentiallySports to your friends!