UFC doubles bonus structure ahead of first card on Paramount+

Field Level Media|published: Sat 24th January, 13:22 2026

Apr 12, 2025; Miami, Florida, UNITED STATES; Paddy Pimblett (blue gloves) reacts after defeating Michael Chandler (not pictured) during UFC 314 at Kaseya Center. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

Some UFC participants will walk away with more money in their pockets moving forward as the UFC is doubling the amounts of its fight night bonus structure and awarding a bonus for every finish inside the Octagon, UFC CEO Dana White told Sports Business Journal.

The changes will take effect starting with the UFC 324 event at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday.

In the past, the card's top two performers and each of the fighters involved in the "fight of the night" were handed $50,000 bonuses. Those bonuses now are $100,000.

The UFC also will award a $25,000 bonus to any athlete who knocks out or submits the opponent but doesn't qualify for one of the $100,000 bonuses.

Rising star Paddy Pimblett (23-3-0) and former interim lightweight champion Justin Gaethje (26-5-0) will headline UFC 324 in what marks the company's first numbered card since the highly publicized seven-year, $7.7 billion broadcast deal with Paramount became official on Jan. 1. That deal roughly doubled the average annual value of UFC's media rights with a switch to Paramount from ESPN.

The co-main event will feature Sean O'Malley (18-3-0) vs. Song Yadong (22-8-1) in a bantamweight bout that likely will see the winner go on to face champion Petr Yan later in the year. Kayla Harrison and Amanda Nunes also were slated for a highly anticipated matchup on the card, but Harrison pulled out last week due to injury.

--Field Level Media

Latest