Is the UFC finally learning? On the back of a decade-long antitrust lawsuit that laid bare the painful reality of fighter underpay (and severely so), Dana White‘s tried all the damage control he can muster. The first step was setting up a $375 settlement fund (slated to be paid from June) for 1,000 former and current fighters who alleged underhanded tactics by the promotion. The second? If reports are to be believed, a payment structure that has showered many veterans with millions.

This is majorly notable because White’s company is already notorious for its close-fisted (pun intended) approach. While leagues like the NBA, NFL, NHL and MLB hand out somewhere between 48-54% of its revenue, the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s payout lingers around a measly 16%. And that’s coming from a combat promotion that calls itself the biggest in the world. Their average salary, ranging at around $51,370 doesn’t seem too stiff either, with most other fighters earning less than even $45,000. Now add to that, contenders being required to cover their medical, management, and training costs among other necessities, and it’s amply clear not many are happy. But, maybe things are changing.

Last year was monumental for the promotion, raking in a record-breaking $1.406 billion in revenue. Of that, a hefty $203 million was reportedly paid to the fighters—a testament to the UFC’s booming business. With mega-events like UFC 300 and UFC 306 lighting up the calendar, the organization rode a wave of momentum that’s still intact so far this year. Not even halfway through 2025, let’s just say some fighters seem to have benefitted much more than others. Let’s take a look at the biggest winners.

Fight Basics compiled a list—complete with a detailed disclaimer that we’ll reveal a bit later—on their Instagram on May 25. For your better understanding, we’ve also added every fighter’s bout history and results from 2025:

• Alex Pereira – $3,442,000 (UFC 313 vs Magomed Ankalaev, Loss)
• Dricus Du Plessis – $2,942,000 (UFC 312 vs Sean Strickland, Win)
• Zhang Weili – $2,541,000 (UFC 312 vs Tatiana Suarez, Win)
• Justin Gaethje – $1,661,000 (UFC 313 vs Rafael Fiziev, Win)
• Alexander Volkanovski – $1,481,000 (UFC 314 vs Diego Lopes, Win)
• Belal Muhammad – $1,346,000 (UFC 315 vs Jack Della Maddalena, Loss)
• Valentina Shevchenko – $1,048,000 (UFC 315 vs Manon Fiorot, Win)
• Sean Strickland – $1,036,000 (UFC 312 vs Dricus Du Plessis, Loss)

It’s important to note that these figures might or might not be accurate. As per the post’s caption, UFC Fighter Earnings in 2025: A Comprehensive Financial Analysis of Year-to-Date Payouts. We used AI deep research for this report and calculated the average value based on 43 different sources. It is important to acknowledge the inherent limitations in obtaining complete financial transparency within the UFC. Official payouts reported by athletic commissions typically only cover “show” and “win” money and do not include the often-substantial PPV points, discretionary bonuses, or private external sponsorship deals. Therefore, the figures presented in this report represent the most comprehensive disclosed earnings, offering a robust, data-driven snapshot of the financial landscape for UFC fighters in 2025.” But if true…

Despite allegations that this year has been disastrous for the promotion, Dana White has earned a significant amount for himself and his fighters. According to TKO’s quarterly report, the promotion generated $359.7 million in revenue in Q1 2025 — a 14.69% increase ($46.7 million more) compared to the $313 million from the same period in 2024. Well, UFC held some of the most anticipated fights this year, such as the battle between Merab Dvalishvili and Umar Nurmagomedov, as well as the light-heavyweight clash between Alex Pereira and Magomed Ankalaev.

Thus, the figures presented in the post represent the comprehensive analysis of the disclosed earnings of the fighters. Well, the UFC might be performing better, but a concern might be looming over the promotion as the UFC CEO, Dana White, might retire from the sport forever.

UFC insiders double down on Dana White’s retirement rumors

There are rumors that UFC CEO Dana White might be stepping away from the organization and planning to hand over operations to his protégé, Hunter Campbell. This speculation began when White started missing several crucial PPV press conferences amid allegations of substandard fight cards. Adding fuel to the fire, Josh Thomson on the Weighing-In podcast stated that Dana White might be done with the UFC—for now.

“I do believe I read he [Dana White] is still part owner. Whether it’s 5%, 10% you know whatever it is. But he is still part owner, he got paid out on his ownership though from the first time, which gave him the $700 million or whatever that he made and he’s still part owner in this. Also, I think that he’s got—he’s got his kids getting older. I believe one of his sons plays football at Bishop Gorman, and there are commitments,” said Thomson.

He further added, “Like he said, and he’s talked about his staff as well. If you’ve got kids that have a performance or they’ve got a game that night, I better not get you at work. And that’s one thing I admire about Dana now. I don’t know—I would imagine it’s true.”

Its been more than two decades since Dana White took over the UFC and made it from the very scratch so is it time for him to say goodbye to the sport and enjoy his life? State your opinion in the comments below.