Mark Shapiro has addressed fighter pay concerns just just a few months into the UFC’s latest $7.7 billion deal.
Near the tip of 2025, the premier MMA promotion announced that following a hugely successful cope with ESPN, they were putting an end to PPV’s by signing a cope with Paramount.
With the deal being value $7.7 billion, fans and fighters were excited for the brand new era, and particularly how it will pertain to fighter pay.
Despite that, just just a few months into the brand new deal, the President and Chief Operating Officer of TKO Group Holdings, Mark Shapiro has addressed concerns regarding fighter pay.
Mark Shapiro expects a rise in fighter pay
Prior to the primary UFC event of the 12 months, UFC 324, Dana White announced that post-fight bonuses can be increased to $100,000 from $50,000, with all fighters who rating a finish being awarded with an extra $25,000.
And although which will have appeared to be the one increase to the fighter pay structure, Shapiro said on the Morgan Stanley Technology, Media and Telecom Conference, that he expects fighter pay to extend.
“Because it pertains to fighter pay or superstar pay on the WWE side, our margins last 12 months on adjusted EBITA (earnings before interest, taxes and amortization) (at) 33.5 percent.
“We’ve announced on the mid-point of our guidance we’re going to be roughly 39.6 percent so 40 percent and that margin is inclusive of increase in fighter and superstar pay and we take that very seriously.
“Right out of the gate… Dana White doubled the performance bonuses for fighters. We’re talking eight figures. One after the other, we’ll be taking a look at this… But whatever increases we’ve got – and we may have increases – they’re inclusive of the margin guidance we’ve got targeted.”
Fighter pay has come under scrutiny especially recently
If fighter pay wasn’t already something that was consistently scrutinized, Zuffa Boxing’s recent $15 million signing of Conor Benn only heightened that.
Following his signing, former UFC champion Sean O’Malley questioned it, claiming that he doesn’t even know who Benn is.
UFC welterweight contender Michael Page also shared his extremely upset response to the news, questioning why UFC fighters aren’t provided the identical luxury, after they are those who’ve helped construct Dana White’s repute.