It’s not unusual for UFC fighters to voice frustration over pay! Henry Cejudo might be a prime example, who famously told MMA Fighting back in 2019, “They can keep both belts,” after his financial demands weren’t met, leading to his retirement. He later returned for a second UFC run, which didn’t go as planned. While many fighters have complained about their compensation. Surprisingly, there have been times when fighters have outright rejected multi-million-dollar offers.

From contract disputes to anticipated comebacks, a range of reasons has led some of the sport’s biggest names to turn down highly lucrative deals. So, let’s look at some notable moments when UFC stars and the promotion couldn’t see eye to eye. Causing those massive paydays to slip through their purses. 

Francis Ngannou rejects UFC’s $8M record-breaking offer  

If there’s talk about the most famous UFC contract dispute, Francis Ngannou vs. Dana White tops the list. ‘The Predator’ rose to stardom quickly after becoming the UFC heavyweight champion by defeating Stipe Miocic at UFC 260. However, tensions exploded soon after between the promotion and its most prized heavyweight.

Ngannou voiced strong dissatisfaction with his UFC deal, telling Ariel Helwani, “In that contract, I’m not free. In that contract, I’m not an independent contractor. In that contract, I have no rights, I have no power.” His comments were seen as a direct shot at Dana White for failing to meet demands such as allowing in-cage sponsorships and providing fighters with health insurance. 

However, UFC head honcho Dana White later claimed that the Cameroonian would’ve earned over $8 million for a fight against Jon Jones. That bout never materialized, as ‘Bones’ ended up facing Ciryl Gane at UFC 285 instead. If only the former heavyweight champion had stayed with the UFC, he might have surpassed, or at least matched, Brock Lesnar’s included PPV purse of $8 million. Still, leaving the UFC didn’t hurt Ngannou’s bank account. 

He reportedly earned around $30 million combined from his boxing matches against Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua, plus a rumored $10 million for his PFL debut against Renan Ferreira. In the end, his bag grew bigger after walking away from the Octagon. And he’s not alone! Another legend has also turned down even more, albeit in a different way.  

Khabib Nurmagomedov: Passing on $20–40 million to stay retired   

Khabib Nurmagomedov built his UFC legacy as a principled man who stayed true to his word. ‘The Eagle’ famously promised to smash Conor McGregor, did exactly that in their grudge match at UFC 229, and earned around $2 million in the process. But after defeating Justin Gaethje at UFC 254, he declared that his time was over.

In an emotional post-fight speech, the Russian legend revealed he had promised his mother he wouldn’t fight again without his late father by his side. He walked away with a perfect 29-0 record and the pound-for-pound No. 1 spot. Dana White tried hard to lure him back for a 30-0 glory fight, reportedly offering between $20–40 million, but Khabib stayed true to his promise. 

‘The Eagle’ revealed to Daniel Cormier at the UFC Fight Pass’ recent Ultimate 30 countdown episode, “It’s very hard. It’s not easy. It’s not easy just to say no to 20, 30, 40 million dollars. But for myself, it’s not everything. This is not the most important. It was not an easy decision, but if I decide, I decide. It’s finished. I leave this alone. I am happy and I never regret my decision. Never.”  

Well, that’s a man of principle once again. As we’ve seen, Khabib turned down a life-changing sum. Money, the UFC would likely only offer to his eternal rival, ‘The Notorious’ Conor McGregor, for a single fight. But when it comes to the next legend on our list, the reason for rejecting millions was entirely different. 

Demetrious Johnson turns down $2M comeback 

Demetrious Johnson is another legend who’s had his fair share of clashes with the UFC over pay and legacy. The former flyweight champion openly voiced his frustration at being underpaid, even after defending the 125 lbs title a record 12 times. Eventually, the UFC traded ‘Mighty Mouse’ to ONE Championship for Ben Askren. Something Johnson later called “the best thing that’s ever happened to me.”

“I think 12 of them were world championship fights and five of them weren’t. So I did all the math, I did all that stuff, and I was like, what the f–k?” Johnson told MMA Fighting last year. Despite his exit, the reigning flyweight champ Alexandre Pantoja called him out after beating Kai Asakura at UFC 310. Johnson responded firmly, making it clear that a comeback wasn’t on his mind.

Taking to X, he posted, “Guys, I got offered $2 million to fight! I turned it down. I don’t care to fight anymore. YouTube video dropping soon.” For ‘Mighty Mouse,’ even a tempting payday wasn’t enough! He’d been through too many wars and had no desire or purpose left to step back in. And he also mentions Khabib Nurmagomedov and Georges St-Pierre as his inspiration behind staying retired. 

However, while money was the last thing on Johnson’s list of motivations, our next legend had a purpose, and that’s exactly why he turned down a hefty sum as well. So, let’s check that out as well. 

Jose Aldo: Declining competing offers of $1M to stick with UFC

Enter the ‘King of Rio,’ one of the most respected and celebrated fighters in MMA history. It wasn’t just Jose Aldo’s brilliance inside the Octagon that made him one of the greatest; it was also his humility and character, which earned him admiration worldwide. His reign as UFC featherweight champion is still considered one of the most dominant in the history of the 145 lbs division.

After stepping away from MMA, Aldo briefly tested the waters in boxing before making a surprising UFC return in 2024, set to face Jonathan Martinez at UFC 310 in his hometown. However, before the fight, the former featherweight kingpin told Shak MMA that he had been offered nearly $1 million by other organizations but chose to stick with the UFC because he still wanted to prove himself.

“We have a lot of offers. We could have a boxing match lined up pretty quickly. We’ve been reached out to by other organizations and offered big $1,000,000 purses and things like that, but it’s really not a matter of financial decision. I needed to have that break. I wanted to pursue my dream of boxing, and now I’m coming back. I never really thought of fighting MMA anywhere else other than the UFC,” Aldo said.

It was a commendable gesture from the ‘King of Rio,’ but his second UFC run ended on a sour note, overshadowed by two controversial decision losses—against Mario Bautista at UFC 307 and Aiemann Zahabi at UFC 315. Eventually, Aldo laid down his gloves for the second time, calling it a career at the Bell Centre in Canada. However, that’s not all after the legends, let’s take a look at some honorable mentions as well! 

Other fighters who declined notable paydays or deals  

Artem Vakhitov: Opted out of UFC Contract for better terms  

Many UFC fans were eager to see Artem Vakhitov step inside the Octagon—not only because he’s a former Glory light heavyweight champion but also because he holds a win over Alex Pereira at Glory 77, a loss ‘Poatan’ later avenged at Glory 78. Their history made a potential UFC reunion between the two all the more intriguing.

The UFC came close to signing Vakhitov after he stopped Islam Masraf in the first round at Contender Series 2024. However, negotiations fell through as the Russian kickboxer pushed for better compensation, and the deal never materialized. 

Vakhitov told MMA Junkie in an interview, “I do not wish to appear arrogant regarding this contract. I understand they have their rules, and I respect that, but I am a prizefighter. I have daughters to provide for and a short window of opportunity. It would have been a great dream to enter the UFC, but I could not justify the loss of earnings this contract would represent.” 

The former Glory kickboxer was definitely interested in competing in the UFC. Even after failing to reach an agreement, Vakhitov left the door open for a future opportunity, should the promotion meet his demands, to settle his unfinished business against Alex Pereira. As the Russian turned down the contract, the last fighter on the list has turned down four! 

Cheick Kongo: Turning down a UFC four-fight deal    

French veteran Cheick Kongo had a solid run in the UFC. ‘The Darkness’ competed in the promotion from 2006 to 2013, amassing a respectable 11–6 record. However, after his loss to Ryan Bader at UFC 159, the UFC offered him a four-fight contract extension, which fell through due to a contract dispute.

Following the fight, the UFC told MMA Junkie, “Confirmation from a UFC official that Kongo fulfilled the terms of his contract and is unlikely to be re-signed.” Kongo, however, took to X (formerly Twitter) to clarify: “I have finished the last fight of my UFC contract, BUT I have not been cut by the UFC and I am a UFC Fighter, still. #stop #rumors #lies.” Ultimately, Kongo signed with Bellator, where he fought until 2022.

And that wraps up some of the fighters who couldn’t secure a hefty UFC payday. So, which story do you think was the most interesting? And which fighter do you believe could’ve landed the most lucrative deal? Share your thoughts in the comments below.