Competing as a professional MMA fighter is certainly not an easy endeavor. In the UFC, unless someone’s a star, the payout doesn’t really help them find a financially stable position. That’s why most fighters look forward to putting on impressive performances and winning the $50,000 bonus award. As per reports, more than a hundred fighters were able to earn bonuses in 2025.

There has always been talk about the UFC not paying its fighters enough, but the numbers are gradually getting higher. That’s true in terms of the bonus amount because reports claim that Dana White and Co. have splashed around $8.5 million just this year. Also, the number of fighters who earned bonuses this year totaled up to 143.

Other reports claim that the most bonus awards, be it the ‘Fight of the Night’ honor or the ‘Performance of the Night’ honors, were earned by fighters from the lightweight division. The 155lbs fighters recorded 26 bonus wins, while the middleweight fighters were a close second, with 185ers bagging 21 bonus wins.

The $8.5 million amount may look good, but the fans seem to think that this is not enough. They took massive jibes at the UFC, its parent organization, and even the CEO, Dana White. They expressed how they feel about the way fighters get paid. Let’s take a look at what they had to say.

Outrage Grows Over Risk, Reward, and Revenue in the Octagon

“Literally peanuts for someone keeping the company events up by risking their lives every second,” a fan commented on the X post revealing the 2025 bonus numbers.

When a fighter steps inside the Octagon, it’s either he who falls or his opponent. Every fight is a risk that these fighters take, putting their lives on the line, not just to win, but also to entertain the masses. This, according to most fans, should be rewarded by the UFC. They feel that $8.5 million in a year on bonuses does not look like a good gamble for the fighters.

Another fan said, “143 fighters combined avg 8.5M… congrats, but that’s h*lla [trash]. Meanwhile, how much did the UFC RACK IN along with the (was it) 7B from Paramount+ deal?”

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The fans then turned their attention to the UFC’s billion-dollar business deals, especially the new broadcast deal with Paramount. Apparently, this deal will help UFC make 7.7 billion in the next few years. They pointed out the implicit gap between fighter bonuses and how much the company brings in. The focus then shifted to Dana White and one of his well-documented habits.

“Dana White pays out $8.5M in bonuses to UFC fighters, also Dana: [Making millions in gambling].”

The UFC CEO loves to gamble, and he’s been vocal about it. There’s even a forthcoming Netflix project in the works that will showcase Dana White’s participation in high-stakes gambling sessions. He’s known for casually making million-dollar wagers. This, as per fans, is way more than the risk fighters take to make meager bonus money.

“Ridiculously low number for what the fighters put on the line every time they step in he cage. They need to do better, and I hope they will under Paramount+.”

Echoing the previous fan’s comment about the fighters’ health and safety, another fan spoke out against the $8.5 million bonus amount. Well, Dana White has promised that the fighter pay will go up when the Paramount era starts, which is something that the fans are hoping to come true.

“Pathetic how low this number is. TKO is a disgrace.”

The MMA community also called out TKO’s role in the fighters not making much money. They’re a billion-dollar conglomerate whose sole aim is to lock in massive media deals, like with Paramount+. The fans expressed their disdain with the conglomerate for underpaying fighters even when it rakes in massive corporate revenues.

“An NBA player that sees no minutes gets paid more btw.”

Compared to other leagues, UFC fighters make way less than most fans would expect. Take the example of the NBA because, as a fan pointed out, the $8.5 million that was paid in bonuses to the UFC fighters is an amount that a benched player in the NBA makes quite comfortably. So, why not pay a fighter more money in a much more dangerous sport?

Well, the debate about the UFC underpaying fighters will go on forever, but what do you make of the recent reports about the 2025 bonus amount? Drop your comments below.