On December 31, 2025, UFC’s TV deal with ESPN finally came to an end! While that relationship ended, UFC entered its Paramount era—a partnership worth a whopping $7.7 billion. UFC CEO Dana White repeatedly touted this groundbreaking partnership as the turning point for the fighter pay issue in the promotion. But Justin Gaethje doesn’t appear to have gotten the memo.

Somewhere else, the UFC CEO effectively crushed Michael Chandler’s dream to compete at the UFC White House card opposite the promotion’s biggest star, Conor McGregor. And if all that wasn’t enough, Sean Strickland is back in the headlines—not because of his upcoming fight, but for ticking off his close friend and ally after he invited a controversial figure to their gym recently.

Dana White asks Justin Gaethje to open up his mail

The latest debate over fighter pay under the UFC’s new broadcast deal with Paramount began with Daniel Cormier. The retired champion confidently declared that fighters are already earning more money. Speaking on Weighing In with Josh Thomson, the former two-division champion said the end of pay-per-view has led to more guaranteed income across the roster. 

“They’re already getting more money, that’s the difference,” Cormier said. He explained that declining pay-per-view sales and illegal streaming had made the old model less reliable, adding that fighters have been able to restructure contracts now that PPV points are gone. “They are giving these guys more money,” Cormier insisted.

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However, this doesn’t appear to have sat well with one of the biggest stars in the UFC—Justin Gaethje. During UFC 324 media day, Gaethje disputed the idea that the new seven-year, $7.7 billion Paramount deal has in any way benefited him financially. He noted that his 14 post-fight bonuses still haven’t added up to $1 million.

“I’m not getting one dollar more [for UFC 324] than I would have if this deal did not happen,” he added. Gaethje’s remarks prompted a direct response from UFC CEO Dana White. Appearing on The Pat McAfee Show, White said the situation wasn’t as simple as Gaethje made it sound, revealing that the former interim lightweight champion had been offered a more lucrative contract ahead of his upcoming fight against Paddy Pimblett.

“Gaethje, without getting into all that stuff, Gaethje was offered more money, and Gaethje never responded,” White said. “[But] we’re good [with Gaethje].” White reiterated that the UFC has carefully planned compensation changes under the Paramount deal, including replacing pay-per-view points with guaranteed money. “We completely have it dialed in,” White added.

UFC 324 will mark the official start of the UFC’s new broadcast era, with Gaethje headlining against Pimblett for the interim lightweight title. 

UFC CEO shares final verdict on Conor McGregor vs. Michael Chandler

The long-simmering saga surrounding Conor McGregor vs. Michael Chandler appears to be officially over. UFC CEO Dana White has delivered his clearest stance yet on the matchup, making it clear the promotion is no longer interested in booking the fight—despite years of buildup and repeated assurances from McGregor himself.

As recently as late last year, McGregor publicly and repeatedly stated that Michael Chandler would be his opponent on the UFC’s historic White House card. But White has now shut the door on that possibility. White bluntly claimed that it was old news when asked about the fight, signaling a decisive shift in direction.

Despite that, Chandler chose to remain hopeful. “Obviously, it’s not encouraging,” Chandler admitted. “But I’ve also heard many things that were… just flat-out false… all we can just do is hope and pray.” That optimism, however, no longer aligns with the UFC’s plans.

White reiterated his stance during an appearance on ESPN MMA, explaining that his focus lies elsewhere. “My entire focus is on the launch this weekend,” White said, referring to Zuffa Boxing’s debut event. “We don’t have anything laid out [for the White House]. Nothing! It will all start on Monday.”

Despite shelving the fight, White was quick to praise Chandler. “No disrespect to Chandler. We love Chandler. You don’t have enough time on your show to talk about how awesome Chandler is,” he said, before delivering the final word, “Yeah, that’s not the fight we’re going with.”

For Michael Chandler, the verdict is clear. The McGregor payday he waited years for is no longer coming—and he’ll have to chart a new path forward inside the Octagon.

Sean Strickland invites Kyle Rittenhouse, as Chris Curtis questions the decision

Sean Strickland has once again found himself at the center of controversy. This time, for a decision that appears to have strained one of his closest friendships. The former UFC middleweight champion recently invited Kyle Rittenhouse to train at Xtreme Couture, a move that sparked a heated confrontation with longtime teammate and friend Chris Curtis.

In a video shared by Jake Shields, Strickland is seen introducing Rittenhouse to fighters at the gym as “this dorky motherf—ker.” Rittenhouse, who was acquitted in 2021 after claiming self-defense in the fatal 2020 Kenosha shootings, remains a deeply polarizing figure. As a result, his presence didn’t sit well with Curtis, who confronted Strickland directly.

“Sean, you know how I feel about this s—t. Why would you invite this guy?” Curtis said. “Why would you [invite him to] my f—king home, bro? I would never disrespect you like this.” Strickland later addressed the situation on X, defending Rittenhouse while also acknowledging Curtis’ reaction. 

“Kyle Rittenhouse is a dorky white kid who was hanging out with a bunch of OLDER WEIRDOS…” Strickland wrote, before adding, “Curt is a good man. I didn’t think Curt would care… I truly can’t fault him for his reaction.” He concluded by urging fans not to let politics dominate their lives, calling it “one giant manipulation from the right and left.” 

Whether intended or not, Strickland’s decision has clearly placed his friendship with Curtis on shaky ground.

Having said that, it appears Justin Gaethje was in for a surprise—the good kind. But the same can’t be said about Michael Chandler or Sean Strickland. What do you make of everything that went down?