“I’m not getting one dollar more,” Justin Gaethje Questions Fighter Pay Under UFC-Paramount Deal Ahead of UFC 324
Justin Gaethje has challenged claims from UFC brass that fighters will earn more money under the promotion’s historic $7.7 billion partnership with Paramount, setting the stage for a contentious debut of the new broadcast era.
The lightweight contender, who headlines UFC 324 against Paddy Pimblett on January 24 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, stated during Wednesday’s media day that he has received no financial increase despite the record-breaking deal. The seven-year agreement, announced in August 2025 and worth $1.1 billion annually, marks the UFC’s transition from ESPN to Paramount+ and eliminates the traditional pay-per-view model.
“To have 14 bonuses and not equal to $1 million – it’s not right,” Gaethje told reporters. I heard Daniel Cormier say that everyone is going to get paid more on this card. I’m not getting one dollar more than I would have if this deal didn’t happen.”
Justin Gaethje Questions Fighter Pay Under UFC-Paramount Deal Ahead of UFC 324
Gaethje’s comments directly contradict statements from UFC CEO Dana White and former two-division champion turned commentator Daniel Cormier, both of whom have suggested fighters would benefit from the increased revenue. White promised in August that fighter compensation would improve, stating that “bonuses are obviously going up” and describing the deal as “fantastic for the fighters”.
Cormier echoed that sentiment in late December on his “Weighing In” podcast, claiming he knew fighters already earning more under the new structure. “They’re already getting more money, that’s the difference,” Cormier said. “I know guys now that are making more money than they did even when they were making pay-per-view, because pay-per-views just weren’t selling as much as they used to.”
The veteran lightweight’s frustration centers on performance bonuses that have remained stagnant at $50,000 since their introduction in 2006. Despite holding the UFC record for most post-fight bonuses in history with 14 across 14 fights, Gaethje has accumulated just $950,000 in bonus earnings. That total includes 13 bonuses at $50,000 each plus a special $300,000 Fight of the Night award from UFC 300 in April 2024, when he faced Max Holloway.
When adjusted for inflation, the $50,000 bonus established in 2006 would be worth approximately $78,000 in 2026 dollars. Multiple fighters and analysts have noted that bonuses peaked at $75,000 in 2011, meaning the current $50,000 figure represents a real-terms pay cut over the past 15 years.
Gaethje acknowledged the bonuses have provided meaningful support for his family, including purchasing property in Arizona for his parents, but maintained the amounts fall short of what fighters deserve given the promotion’s financial growth. UFC 324 represents the first numbered event under the Paramount partnership, featuring an interim lightweight title bout between Gaethje and Pimblett.
The UFC has not announced specific adjustments to base pay, win bonuses, or performance awards ahead of the Paramount era launch, though White suggested increases would come after the deal was finalized.
