According to YouTuber, and pro boxer, Jake Paul, former UFC heavyweight champ, Francis Ngannou, will make $10,000,000 to fight Tyson Fury in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on 10/28/23.
I watch most every UFC event, both PPV and Fight Nights, so it’s fair to say I am a UFC diehard. And yet, one of the issues that gives me pause is the minuscule checks many of the rank-and-file UFC fighters receive for putting their health on the line as they do when they step in the Octagon.
It’s not uncommon for an up-and-coming fighter to make $15,000 to show and $15,000 to win, even when featured in a UFC PPV event. Granted champions and marquee fighters earn more, but not as much as most fans would assume when factoring in how profitable the UFC is as an organization. According to the popular MMA blog, Bloody Elbow, UFC Fighter pay has been going down, and represents only a fraction of the share PFL fighters receive relative the overall revenue their organization brings in.
The PFL detailed a plan in 2022 to award a much bigger percentage of their PPV revenue to the fighters, somewhere in the neighborhood of 50% (it should be noted that plan references PPV revenue only). The UFC, by comparison, has been in the 17%-18% range (total revenue) for many years, resulting in two separate class action suits against them.
Bloody elbow
Ngannou left the UFC over fighter pay disputes
Fighter pay was one of the big reasons former UFC heavyweight champ, Francis Ngannou, stepped away from his belt to ultimately join the PFL, with the option to participate in lucrative boxing matches.
Before Ngannou joins the PFL, where his opponents are rumored to receive a minimum purse of $2,000,000 to share the cage with him, Francis will face boxing legend Tyson Fury in Saudi Arabia.
Initially, it was reported that Ngannou would make $8,000,000 to fight Fury, but it now appears that number is on the low side. You Tuber, and pro boxer, Jake Paul tweeted that Ngannou will make 8 figures, not $8,000,000 to fight Fury.
Why Jake Paul likely knows what Ngannou is being paid
Paul, a longtime critic of UFC boss Dana White, is on the inside with respect to Ngannou’s deal because of his contract with the PFL. In fact, Paul has challenged UFC legend Nate Diaz to an MMA match in the PFL after the two box in August.
Is Ngannou still underpaid?
While $10,000,000 is a major pay increase over his UFC fighting days, is Ngannou still underpaid relative to his peers? To find out, let’s look at Fury’s last 3 opponents, and what they were paid to fight the Gypsy King.
- Derek Chisora ($4.5 million)
- Dillian Whyte ($7.4 million)
- Deontay Wilder ($6 million)
As you can see from the paychecks of Fury’s last 3 opponents, Ngannou is commanding a premium despite having little to no background in pro boxing.
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