Joe Pyfer is demanding a change in the UFC’s fighter pay structure! While the promotion’s revenue has soared in recent years, fighters are still taking home a relatively small percentage of the pie. Compared to leagues like the NFL and NBA, where players receive nearly 50% of the revenue, UFC fighters are reportedly stuck with just a 16-20% split.

As such, ‘Bodybagz’ with a 5-1 record in the promotion—fresh off a dominant win over Kelvin Gastelum at UFC 316, and a fighting style built for highlight reels—is now sounding the alarm on the restrictive contracts UFC fighters face. His solution? Dana White and the UFC should take a page out of boxing’s book. Intrigued? Let’s dive in.

Joe Pyfer blasts “50-50” purses as he pushes for a similar pay structure to boxing

Speaking to Ariel Helwani, the middleweight knockout artist began by stating, “You know, we should be paid like the boxers because we put it on the line. One thing I’m not a fan of is the 50- 50 purse. That’s my only thing. I want guaranteed money.”

Let’s pause here. What exactly does “50-50” mean in UFC terms? Most fighters, unless they’re champions or major stars, earn half their pay only if they win. Lose? You walk away with just your show money.

According to Joe Pyfer, “Yeah, I would prefer to have guaranteed money because I think the anxiety for me just me personally is just like, man I’m fighting one of the best guys in the world. Anything can happen. But if I don’t win, I only make this much….”

Pyfer’s case isn’t unique. The UFC has long been criticized for its tiered pay model, where even top 10 fighters can struggle financially. Compare that with boxing, while only the top tier earns astronomical money, names like Tyson Fury still walk away with paydays in the hundreds of millions. In contrast, Alexandre Pantoja, the UFC flyweight champ, was delivering food for Uber Eats not long before headlining a pay-per-view.

Yet Dana White sees it differently. In a conversation with Shannon Sharpe, the UFC boss had claimed, “Boxing got so f—-d up that nobody could make a living out of it, that Saudi Arabia had to take it over. A group of people that have so much money, they don’t care whether they make or lose money.”

But Pyfer doesn’t see himself chasing box-office gold; he just wants stability. Pointing to his UFC 316 clash with Kelvin Gastelum, he shared, “Like, could I have kept Kelvin on the ground? Yeah, I know I could have. Could I have grabbed him? Yeah, I know I could have. But I wanted to finish, know, and I wanted to try and get that sweet shot and really like put them out and make a statement…”

And maybe that’s what this is really about. Fighters like Joe Pyfer are taking the risks, delivering the action, and building the brand, yet they’re gambling with their paychecks every time they step into the cage. It’s a high-stakes game inside the cage, but outside it, some fighters are learning playing chess, not checkers.

Sean O’Malley claims “no one” is forcing UFC fighters to step into the Octagon

While Joe Pyfer pushes for guaranteed money, Sean O’Malley is living proof that being business savvy can boost one’s bank account. His message? Don’t just fight. Sell. Speaking with Demetrious Johnson, ‘Suga’ recently confessed, “People complain, ‘I’m only getting paid 10 and 10,’ ($10,000 to show, $10,000 to win) but in reality, who’s there to see you fight?”

His argument hinges upon the question: if nobody’s tuning in, why should the paycheck be big? It’s a brutal truth, but one that O’Malley doesn’t sugarcoat. In his eyes, fighting is a choice, dangerous, yes, but still a path you choose. He put it bluntly by stating, “If you don’t want to make $50,000 a fight, go work at Target. No one’s forcing you to fight. You don’t have to fight.”

The former bantamweight champion admits his rise wasn’t overnight. He started just like Joe  Pyfer, on the Dana White Contender Series, earning $10K to show. But a viral knockout and some Snoop Dogg hype changed his trajectory. From $10K to $20K. From rising prospect to PPV headliner—all because he knew how to draw eyes.

But here’s the twist: even O’Malley felt underpaid at times as he shared, “There were times where I was like, ‘I feel like I need to be making more, but I’m not going to make an issue about it because that’s not going to help anybody.'”

So who’s right? Pyfer, with his call for structure and security? Or O’Malley, with his build-your-value blueprint? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!