Michael Chandler Backs UFC’s New Paramount Deal, Says Fighter Pay Will “Trickle Down”
UFC lightweight Michael Chandler believes the promotion’s massive $7.7 billion broadcasting deal with Paramount will benefit fighters through trickle-down means.
Speaking to MMA Junkie on the UFC 324 red carpet, Chandler addressed the promotion’s new bonus structure and the implications of the landmark deal that brought all UFC events to Paramount+ beginning in 2026.
Michael Chandler Says UFC’s Paramount Money Will Trickle Down to Fighters
“It’s really cool. I mean, obviously you know my résumé – almost every single one of my fights I’ve gotten a bonus, so I should have a little bit more money in my bank account. I’m happy for that going forward,” Chandler said. “And I think it’s just a little bit of a foreshadowing of what this looks like, this new era of the UFC.”
“It’s been widely documented how big this deal was for the UFC, and everybody can say, ‘Ah, the UFC, the big bad capitalist making all this money.’ It’s going to trickle down. We just need to find the avenues and how it’s going to go, plus this great opportunity and the great platform.”
The seven-year agreement with Paramount, worth an average of $1.1 billion annually, represents nearly double the UFC’s previous media rights earnings from ESPN. Under the deal, all 13 numbered events and 30 Fight Nights will stream exclusively on Paramount+, with select events simulcasting on CBS.
Chandler’s invocation of “trickle-down economics” echoes supply-side principles popularized during Ronald Reagan’s presidency in the 1980s, which theorized that increased corporate earnings and reduced taxes would spur investment, job creation, and wage growth for workers. However, decades of economic data have largely contradicted this premise. Studies examining the Reagan era and subsequent tax cuts show that while corporate profits and executive compensation surged, wage growth for workers stagnated and wealth inequality widened significantly.
A major shift eliminates the pay-per-view model that previously cost fans $79.99 per major event on top of their ESPN+ subscription. All UFC content now comes included with a standard Paramount+ subscription starting at approximately $12.99 monthly.
The deal prompted immediate changes to fighter compensation. UFC doubled post-fight bonuses from $50,000 to $100,000 for Fight of the Night and Performance of the Night awards. Additionally, the promotion introduced a new $25,000 bonus for any fighter who scores a knockout or submission victory, even if they don’t receive one of the main bonuses.
“I wish it would have changed it a couple years ago,” Chandler said of the increased bonuses. He noted the new structure could particularly benefit lower-tier fighters on entry-level contracts. “You got a guy in here who’s on one of the lower tiers, not making a lot of money, all of a sudden you somehow find yourself in a performance of the night because you end up with a really awesome knockout or a really awesome submission. All of a sudden, now you just made an extra 100,000. You put a down payment on a house, quit your job.”
Chandler has earned post-fight bonuses in five of his six UFC appearances, including Fight of the Night honors for his battles with Justin Gaethje and Charles Oliveira. His bonus resume includes his debut knockout of Dan Hooker, his spectacular front-kick finish of Tony Ferguson, and multiple Fight of the Night awards that have netted him hundreds of thousands in additional earnings.
UFC 324 marked the promotion’s first event under the Paramount deal, drawing 4.96 million views in its streaming debut. The card featured the new bonus structure, with at least $400,000 guaranteed in performance bonuses per event compared to the previous $200,000 standard.
Mark Shapiro, president and chief operating officer of TKO Group, the UFC’s parent company, praised the deal as a “milestone and landmark agreement” that provides “meaningful economics for investors” and noted that “our athletes will love this new stage”.
The former Bellator lightweight champion is currently seeking his next fight, ideally against Conor McGregor at the proposed UFC White House event scheduled for July 4, 2026. “Best case scenario, it’s me and Connor. Worst case scenario, I’m still fighting at the White House and fighting someone else and it will be an awesome badass matchup and I will steal the show and I will end up with one of those bonuses.”
