Jake Paul Calls out UFC over Fighter Pay Following Record $7.7 Billion Deal

YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul raises awareness about fighter pay after the UFC's latest broadcasting deal with Paramount.

Jake Paul Calls out UFC over Fighter Pay Following Record $7.7 Billion Deal

Jake Paul asks UFC fighters to demand money (via MMA Fighting)

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With ESPN’s seven-year broadcast deal nearing its end, the UFC, under Dana White’s leadership, spent the past year locked in high-stakes negotiations for a blockbuster new broadcasting partnership. The talks drew interest from some of the biggest names in streaming and sports media, with rumors of aggressive bids from giants like Netflix and Amazon fueling months of speculation.

Ultimately, Paramount emerged victorious, securing the most lucrative media rights package in UFC history and ending one of the sport’s most closely watched bidding wars. For the unversed, the UFC has signed a historic seven-year, $7.7 billion broadcasting deal with Paramount, starting from the 2026 season.

White proudly unveiled the details of the landmark deal, emphasizing that it would make watching fights more affordable for fans. His longtime critic, Jake Paul, wasted no time responding, using the announcement as yet another platform to push his fighter-pay agenda and urge athletes to take notice.

Every fighter in the UFC now has a clear picture of what the revenue is…no more PPV excuses. Get your worth boys and girls.

Jake Paul via X

Paul has long feuded with Dana White over UFC fighter pay and the lack of comprehensive long-term health care benefits for athletes. He has repeatedly urged top UFC superstars to leave the promotion, claiming they could earn significantly more money in independent ventures. The UFC head honcho has frequently expressed annoyance at Paul’s public criticism, dismissing his antics as self-promotion rather than genuine concern for fighters.

Moreover, White has consistently denied claims that UFC fighters could potentially earn more in boxing compared to competing within the promotion. However, fighters such as former heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou have openly stated they made significantly more money from boxing.

Ngannou compared his boxing earnings to multiple years in the UFC, highlighting the stark difference and fueling debate over salary. For the uninitiated, ‘The Predator’ has raked in around $30 million over the course of two separate bouts against Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua.

Historically, the UFC’s overall revenue percentage allocated to fighters has remained low compared to other major sports leagues like the NBA or NFL. While other leagues contribute more than 50% to their athletes’ pay, the MMA juggernaut has this figure at 18%.

This disparity has been a constant source of criticism from the media, athletes, and fans advocating for more equitable pay structures. With the new Paramount broadcasting deal, many wonder if fighter pay structures will improve or remain stagnant despite increased revenue.

Is the new UFC model disadvantageous for the fighters?

This new agreement makes Paramount the exclusive streaming home for all UFC events, including 13 numbered cards and 30 Fight Nights per year. Several events will also be on CBS, expanding UFC’s reach beyond streaming audiences to traditional broadcast television households nationwide. Notably, the deal ends the traditional pay-per-view model, making every UFC fight available at no additional cost.

UFC's latest broadcasting deal with Paramount
UFC’s latest broadcasting deal with Paramount (via X)

For fans, this creates a more affordable experience compared to paying around 80 dollars for each major pay-per-view event. Financially, it surpasses UFC’s previous ESPN deal, which brought roughly half the annual revenue now secured under Paramount’s new arrangement. In a recent YouTube video, former UFC heavyweight fighter Brendan Schaub talked about this in detail. 

7.7 billion. That’s with a B y’all. 7.7 billion broadcast deal with paramount. Pay-per-view model will end in 2026. When they PPV model UFC were forced to build stars in order to get money based of PPV. They got rid of that model because they are done building stars. Those days are done. It’s not good, none of this is good. It’s good for Dana. It’s good for TKO and the shareholders. This is all bad for the fighters in every facet. 

Brendan Schaub via his YouTube channel

While this is only a theory from Schaub, it certainly looks different on paper. The UFC–Paramount deal guarantees $1.1 billion annually, creating a larger revenue pool that could raise fighter purses. With the elimination of pay-per-view fees, fighters may receive larger guaranteed payouts instead of inconsistent PPV-based bonuses. 

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