“Bet fighter pay didn’t,” Despite UFC’s MOMENTOUS hike in revenue earnings in 2023, fans split on meager $50k limit for fighters

UFC produced record revenue at $1.3 billion in 2023, attributing to live events, televised streaming homebase and sponsorship revenues.

“Bet fighter pay didn’t,” Despite UFC’s MOMENTOUS hike in revenue earnings in 2023, fans split on meager $50k limit for fighters

Dana White is yet to face more heat from industry peers as UFC's $1.3 billion revenue comes to light (Source: IMAGO/Instagram)

What’s the point of the name Floyd “Money” Mayweather? Or Vince McMahon‘s lineage touting the “Here Comes the Money” song? UFC’s top honcho and taskmaster, Dana White should boast such monikers. As the helmsman and pioneer of the greatest combat sports promotion, White boasts quite a net worth. Concurrently, he is also the brainchild behind Power Slap – the premier slapping event, under Nevada State Athletic Commission regulations.

Along with rigorously boosting all things combat sports, he also has competitive livestock that competed in the 2023 PBR Camping World Team Series Championship. His other interests include rally racing and gambling. As such, there’s no denying that despite his diverse interests, White is an avid fan and advocate of the sport. Under his watch, UFC has reached new heights.

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The global pandemic crushed many businesses worldwide, but it’s safe to say UFC is one of the biggest success stories to emerge from that catastrophic period. On The Truth podcast, White recently detailed the lengths he went to, to keep the business afloat. Even more recently, he detailed how the at-home fanbase loyalty grew, in “The Rush” podcast, with Maxx Crosby. As a publicly traded company — first under Endeavor and now as part of TKO Group Holdings — financial disclosures are now public knowledge.

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The MMA promotion boasted a huge gain of  $1.3 billion in revenue — a 13-percent increase from 2022. Revenue for the 4th quarter was $282.8 million, up from $271.7 million last year. A $76.2 million increase in media rights and content fees drove the jump. And it has got the attention of fight fans.

Fight fans react to UFC’s huge bump in 2023 revenue earnings

TKO Group, parent to the UFC and WWE, announced the MMA promotion’s full-year profits in a financial statement alongside its Q4 results. UFC produced record revenues, reeling from a global crisis. However, the rich helmsman Dana White faces a lot of flak for it.

UFC's profitable gains in light of meager fighter pay triggers fans
UFC’s profitable gains in light of meager fighter pay triggers fans (Source: Twitter)

With the UFC facing $1.6 Billion in damages in an anti-trust lawsuit case, many fighter-salary saw a release. Accordingly, many have gibed at fighters earning minimal pay for such a big company.

The Anti-Trust Lawsuit was recently unsealed as a now-class-action affair that was started from the claims of former UFC fighters acting as plaintiffs (Case No. 2:15-cv-01045-RFB-BNW).

A prime reaction currently retorted to the revenue increase reports on X (by @SpinninBackfist), saying – “Bet fighter pay didn’t.” And it isn’t the only one.

https://twitter.com/InfluencerJuice/status/1762673626526933447?s=20

Several UFC payouts were consequently posed at the forefront due to the lawsuit. Concurrently, it brings attention to a fixed $50k stipulated bonus that has prevailed for ages. This lines up with Aljamain Sterling taking a dig at UFC fighter pay, or Jake Paul urging fighters to wake up to Dana White starving them out. Alongside, even boxing promoter Oscar De La Hoya as well as others had ripped into him for UFC 266 fighter pay.

Currently, though, fans have resounded this, poking fun at Dana White’s “set-in-stone” sum of $50k bonus pay. Numerous others have even called out the issue of overall pay not increasing at all, in stark contrast to the company’s billion-dollar revenues.

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