EXCLUSIVE: Dana White Vows No Fighter Left Behind After UFC’s $7.7 Billion TV Deal

With the UFC locking in a massive broadcast deal with Paramount, UFC President Dana White made it clear that more money’s coming, and fighters will feel it.

The UFC is set to leave ESPN and move to Paramount+ in 2026, a major shift in how fans will watch fights. It’s one of the biggest media deals in combat sports, and White says the payout won’t just stay at the top.

The best part? The organization is already in preparation to make it happen as soon as possible. 

Dana White Believes UFC Fighter Pay Will Rise Soon

The UFC secured a seven-year, $7.7 billion media rights deal with Paramount. All fights move from ESPN to Paramount+ in 2026. That’s a big jump from the previous ESPN deal, which paid around $500 million annually.

The new contract averages $1.1 billion per year. Paramount+ will stream all 43 UFC events annually, including 30 Fight Nights and 13 numbered PPV cards. Fans won’t need multiple platforms or separate PPV purchases anymore.

White recently addressed fighter pay during the 60 Minutes interview. When asked about if fighter pay would double, he did insist that it will go up soon.

“I can’t sit here right now and tell you, you know, it’s double, it’s one and a half, it’s triple,” he said. “But, yeah, fighter pay is going to be good.”

 

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The host of the interview then asked if the UFC boss has any plan to give those checks fairly. “Absolutely,” White replied. “People don’t know how much a lot of these guys make. We’re different in a lot of ways. We’re different than most major sports.”

White didn’t provide a timeline or specific numbers. Moreover, he’s been saying this for years. The difference now is the promotion just secured its biggest payday ever. Whether that cash actually reaches the fighters remains to be seen.

UFC Fighters Have Been Vocal About Low Pay for Years

Francis Ngannou was one of the loudest voices on fighter pay. The former heavyweight champ told ESPN he wouldn’t fight for $500,000 to $600,000 anymore. He eventually left the UFC. Ngannou made $600,000 for his last Octagon appearance. Compare that to Tyson Fury’s $27 million payday for his last boxing match.

Court documents show the UFC pays fighters just 15% of total revenue. The NBA and NFL give athletes around 50%. For every dollar the promotion makes, fighters get 15 cents.

Jon Fitch broke down his UFC earnings publicly. He made $1.322 million over 18 fights across seven and a half years. After paying 20% to management and his gym, Fitch cleared roughly $176,000 per year before taxes.

The hubris from these guys is unreal if ur their partner. 1st they talk about getting into boxing with no risk & charging fees on fees on fees from their partners who are putting up the money.

Now they are saying PPV is dead when they have a PPV this weekend with Du Plessis… pic.twitter.com/1jqYaZu0UQ

— Jake Paul (@jakepaul) August 11, 2025

Jake Paul has been hammering this point for years. The boxer turned UFC critic claims fighters deserve better and White knows it. Paul called out the promotion after the Paramount deal dropped, telling fighters to get their worth now that the UFC’s revenue is public. He’s argued the UFC pays athletes worse than any major sports organization.

White maintains the UFC model works differently than traditional sports. He is right about that because he even got congratulations from high-profile figures for his success. But with billions flooding in from Paramount, the pressure’s on to prove those dollars reach the cage.