Ex-Champ warns only stars like Conor McGregor will cash in on UFC’s $7.7 billion deal

Ex-UFC welterweight king Tyron Woodley says UFC’s $7.7 billion Paramount+ deal won’t trickle down to fighters, unless they're one of the chosen few like Conor McGregor, Jon Jones, or Ilia Topuria

UFC is moving away from ESPN, inking a new seven-year, $7.7 billion deal with Paramount+ to broadcast all US events. With it, fans might expect fighters to get a bigger piece of the pie, but UFC Boss Dana White kept it vague whether they're seeing their fair share.

Speaking to MMA Knockout via Action Network, former undisputed champion Woodley expects most of the money to stay at the top of the promotion.

Tyron Woodley receiving his UFC belt. — Former welterweight champion Woodley defended his belt four times in the UFC Octagon. | Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

Tyron Woodley says UFC’s new deal won’t trickle down to regular fighters

"I think the benefits of it is mostly going to stay at the top," Woodley said. "No fighter is going to go in there with a calculator to see what a non-pay-per-view situation equates to them.

"[...] You've got Conor McGregor, you've got Jon Jones, and you've got Ilia Topuria. Outside of those three, nobody can really go into a UFC office and really try to poke their chest out and say, 'Oh, you've got a bigger deal. I should get more money.'

"Because unless you're a champion defending your belt, unless you're a Conor or another star that's bringing a lot of eyeballs to the fight, you're not in a position to get the pay-per-view anyway. Your purse is going to be your purse."

Ilia Topuria with his hand raised after defeating Charles Oliveira. — Ilia Topuria last knocked out Charles Oliveira at UFC 317 to claim the lightweight championship. He became the first undefeated fighter to become a two-division champion in UFC history. | Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

Tyron Woodley: UFC fighters aren't jumping out of their comfort zones

Fighter revenue share in the UFC was as low as 13-14.5% in 2023. UFC settled an antitrust lawsuit in 2024 for $375 million, compensating thousands of fighters who fought in the Octagon from 2010 to 2016 for being underpaid. These are both symptoms of the UFC brand being bigger than the fighters.

Woodley argues a lack of fighter star power is also why they lack leverage...

"The UFC has built the brand to that level," He explained. "They built the brand to the point where now they [see] Saudi money coming in. They're promoting boxing. They did the Noche deal. They really had a highlight of the last two years as far as promoting and breaking barriers.

"So that was more of a reward of an organizational deal and less of a fighter. Because if you look at the fighting roster, there's not many stars in the UFC right now. If you go ask anybody at a store, Starbucks, to name you five UFC stars, I'm going to guess 10 out of 10 are going to be able to do it.

"[...] But outside of those three [Jones, McGregor, Topuria], they're not going to tell me that Islam Makhachev is going to make you come and watch.

"And under him would be maybe an Alex Pereira or something like that. Nobody is really jumping out of their comfort zone, spending a lot of money to buy pay-per-view to watch a lot of these fighters anymore. . . . The champions are people that are just champions. They won. They didn't throw the f------ can at the press conference. They didn't wear a flashy suit or come in a Bugatti. They didn't do that. They just won. And that's the sports side of it that you can't take away."

Alex Pereira has been one of UFC's breakout personalities since his debut in 2021. | Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

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