Win or Lose — They Still Get Paid: UFC Fighter Contracts Decoded
Win or Lose — They Still Get Paid: UFC Fighter Contracts Decoded
By Ali Hammad June 19, 2025 10:15
Most people take one look at the losers in a UFC game and say “I wouldn't want to be that guy”. But wait till you hear how that fighter with a banged-up face just made what most people on Earth earn in a lifetime.
Yep, win or lose, UFC fighters still get paid. And not in pocket change. Whether they walk away with their hand raised or leave with a busted lip, they’re still cashing checks that could make the average office worker rethink their career.
So, how much do UFC fighters get paid per fight? Let's understand.
The UFC Pay Structure: Losers Take Some
UFC fighter pay isn’t a winner-take-all scheme. In fact, there’s a base salary structure that guarantees fighters a paycheck just for showing up. That makes sense, as the fighters are the main attraction. And without them, the sponsors won’t make millions of dollars. Besides, it wouldn’t be fair to walk away with nothing (or even a little) after a heavy beatdown.
It goes like this. Every UFC fighter signs a contract that typically promises "show money", which is simply a guaranteed amount they’ll earn for stepping into the cage, whether they win or lose. Adding to that show money are win bonuses, which usually doubles a fighter’s pay for coming out on top.
So, how much do UFC fighters get paid per fight? It varies wildly. Entry-level fighters might make $10,000 to show and another $10,000 to win. Mid-tier fighters can earn $80,000 to show and $80,000 to win. Champions and big-name stars? They’re often pulling in six or seven figures per fight, win or lose.
Outside the fighters and sponsors, the only others making money on these events are gamblers who wager significant amounts on the outcome of these fights. But where it gets interesting for gamblers is that they can make money on UFC-themed games even when no fighting events are available. And that's possible with online casino games like UFC Slots and UFC Blitz, which offer sharp players a continuous opportunity to make exponential gains considering the risk.
For those who want to learn more about such slots and other themed games, it is useful to consult independent sources. Objective Hungarian online casino reviews will help you to choose the platform with appropriate game selection, withdrawal conditions, bonuses and security level.
How Much Do UFC Fighters Get Paid If They Lose?
Here’s the part most people miss: losing doesn’t mean you fight for free. Even the fighters on the wrong end of a knockout are still making serious cash.
So, how much do UFC fighters get paid if they lose? We’ve already talked about the “show money” they’ll still pocket. If their contract says $50,000 to show and $50,000 to win, a loss means they walk away with $50,000 guaranteed. Not bad for a night’s work, even if that work includes just a few bruises and maybe a chipped tooth.
For elite fighters or highly popular UFC events, losing could still mean earning hundreds of thousands, sometimes even over a million dollars depending on their contract, the fight’s status, and pay-per-view points (more on that in a second).
Take Conor McGregor’s high-profile loss against Nurmagomedov, for example. McGregor bagged a whopping $3,000,000 with no win bonus! Talk about losing and still winning. It’s also worth noting that this was the most-watched UFC fight of all time, so don’t go around expecting to make that from UFC defeats.
Pay-Per-View Points: The Millionaire's Game
If you thought bonuses were lucrative, wait till you hear about how top UFC fighters earn from PPV points. Some of the UFC’s top stars (think Conor McGregor, Israel Adesanya, Jon Jones) don’t just get “show and win” money. They also get a cut of the pay-per-view sales.
These PPV points can skyrocket a fighter’s earnings. For example, if a fight sells a million pay-per-views, a fighter might earn an extra $3 to $10 per buy. Do the math. That’s millions in just one night.
This is why the top fighters often seem more interested in big-ticket fights rather than simply chasing title defenses. The more people buy the fight, the more they cash in (win or lose).
Real Numbers: How Much Do UFC Fighters Get Paid if They Win or Lose?
What better way to show you how much UFC fighters are getting paid than some real-life examples? Here are just a few high-profile fights and what the fighters made.
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Conor McGregor: Made over $3 million base pay just to show up at UFC 257 against Dustin Poirier. Add in PPV points, and his total haul was estimated to be over $20 million despite losing the fight.
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Israel Adesanya: Regularly earns $500,000 to show plus bonuses, PPV points, and sponsorship deals, sometimes making over $1 million per fight.
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Mid-level Fighters: Fighters like Dan Hooker or Kevin Holland might make $100,000 to show, $100,000 to win, plus potential bonuses.
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Newcomers: Entry-level UFC fighters often start with $10,000 to show and $10,000 to win. Still, that’s a $10K payday, win or lose!
So when people ask, how much do UFC fighters get paid if they win? The answer depends on the following:
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Their show money
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Their win bonus
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Possible fight night bonuses
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Maybe PPV points
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Sometimes sponsorships
And if they lose? They still walk away with the show money, possible bonuses, and, in some cases, PPV earnings.
But There’s a Catch: Fighters Still Fight for Better Pay
Sure, the numbers sound good, but fighter pay has been a hot topic in the MMA world for years. Many UFC fighters argue they don’t get a fair slice of the revenue pie. Unlike other sports where athletes might take home 50% of total revenue, UFC fighters are estimated to earn around 15-20% of the UFC’s total revenue.
This has led to ongoing debates, fighter union talks, and public spats with the UFC’s head honcho, Dana White. Fighters like Francis Ngannou and Nate Diaz have openly criticized the pay structure, and some have even walked away from the UFC for bigger paydays elsewhere.
Jake Paul implored Dana White to “pay your fighters more” to which the UFC chairman responded: “It’s never gonna happen while I’m here” while adding, “Boxing has absolutely been destroyed because of money and all the things that go on.”
Final Thoughts: Win or Lose, They Still Get Paid — But Is It Enough?
So next time you see a fighter sitting dazed in the octagon after a brutal loss, remember, they’re still getting paid. And in some cases, they’re getting paid more than the average person will make in several years or in their entire lives.
But the conversation isn’t that simple. While how much UFC fighters get paid per fight can sound impressive, many fighters still believe they’re underpaid compared to what they risk and the money the UFC brings in.
According to CoMainEvent, “Athletes in other major pro sports make somewhere in the neighborhood of a 50-50 split. The UFC and Endeavor are telling you that they want to keep fighters at 20% or less and have been successfully doing so for years.”
The truth is, whether they win or lose, they’re still getting paid huge sums. However, just how much they should be earning is still a hot topic for debate.
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