How Much Do Female UFC Fighters Make?

The world of UFC is not only restricted to men; they even have female fighters in MMA. The gender pay gap has sparked controversy and discussions among people. Feminists and human rights activists have been trying to spread worldwide awareness about how much difference there is in the gender pay gap.

In this article, we shall discuss how much female UFC fighters make and the difference between their pay and men’s pay.

Let us get down to business.

How Much Do Female UFC Fighters Make?

Instead of receiving a conventional annual salary, the fighters receive a paycheck based on a signed and approved contract with this organization, establishing their base pay for the year in exchange for attending and competing in a predetermined number of events. Each fighter often signs a contract for a predetermined number of fights at a fixed cost before stepping inside the Octagon, the ring where the fights occur.

MMA fighters’ participation in fights and the associated pay are their primary sources of revenue. Their main source of income in the past was the money they made from just competing. The fighters’ means of revenue have, however, changed a little in recent years.

However, we will first talk about the difference in how much male fighters make from female MMA fighters.

Difference In The Pay Gap of UFC Female Fighters From Male Fighters

In 2020, the earnings of female MMA fighters were just 40%-41% of that of male fighters. That very year, Amanda Nunes, the most popular MMA fighter, took about $400,000. However, the popularity of female fighters in the UFC is rising. As women bring in more money to the UFC each year, the pay disparity between men and women in the organization is slowly narrowing. Weili Zhang and Joanna Jedrzejczyk, two UFC fighters, were among the top 4 earners on the UFC 248 Main Card. These two MMA fighters outperformed other male competitors in terms of fight earnings. Weili Zhang is a female UFC star who is paving the road for a more equal UFC for women. She has gained enormous popularity in the world of UFC.

Now, we shall discuss how their pay has been divided:

I. Payment Tiers: Female Fighters’ Main Earning Per Fight

The pay scale for MMA fighters fighting for the UFC is divided into three tiers: the lowest paying between $10,000 and $30,000 and the highest paying between $500,000 and $3,000,000 each fight. The popularity of the boxer and their performances affect the payments. The compensation for each fight differs depending on such terms and tiers.

It has been distributed as follows:

II. Bonus

A fighter who wins the fight will also receive a victory bonus in the same amount in addition to the fight’s guaranteed reward, which is essentially double what they would have received. It’s crucial to remember that lower and middle tier contracts are the only ones to which the win bonus applies. As a result, UFC Champions (high tier) frequently do not get a win bonus that increases their earnings by twofold.

In addition, UFC guarantees a $50,000 incentive for the two participants who participate in the best and most thrilling match.

Pay per view (PPV) events are the biggest type of UFC event. PPV events come with a $65 surcharge. The best fights the UFC offers are featured at these PPV events. They draw the largest audience and subsequently generate the vast majority of income. The number of pay per view is crucial since it raises the Octagon fighters’ income. The championship winners and the challengers take a PPV share of 50% per fight. The best-paid fighters on the list are Julianna Pena and Valentina Shevchenko because they are the current champions.

III. Sponsorships: Deal With Venum

According to a contract between UFC and Venum, athletes must only use Venum gear and accessories when competing. All the competitors receive payment from Venum sponsorship each time they compete. The payment provided to a fighter depends on how many fights they have. For instance, a novice fighter with only one to three battles will be given $4,000 for using Venum’s equipment. Champion fighters can make up to $42,000 for each match.

Overall Pay, Top Earnings, And Achievements

The top earnings in the UFC Women’s Divisions were Rose Namajunas ($987,500), Holly Holm ($1.6 million), Amanda Nunes ($1.2 million), and Joanna Jedrzejczyk ($1.8 million per fight).

• The career average salary for those in the strawweight division is $483,991, while that for those in the bantamweight division is  $371,663. The average career income for flyweights is the lowest at $168,720.
• The American mixed martial arts fighter Julianna Pena competes in the bantamweight division. She is the highest-paid athlete right now and the reigning bantamweight champion.
• Amanda Nunes is considered one of the best MMA fighters of all time.
• The MMA fighter from America, Rose Namajunas, has the longest contract.

FAQs

1. Do fighters who lose a match get paid?

Even if they lose, UFC competitors are compensated. They will be paid according to their contract for the fight regardless of the result unless they don’t make the weight, in which case they lose 20% of the prize.

If they succeed, they will only get the additional funds from the win bonus.

2. How much did Ronda Rousey make?

Rousey made a respectable $4.3 million over her six-year contract with the UFC. In less than half the time with UFC, she has made $5 million during her tenure in the WWE.

3. Which fighting sport pays the most: Boxing or MMA Fights?

Boxing earns more money than the UFC/Mixed Martial Arts sector. Elite boxers can earn millions of dollars for a single fight, whereas top UFC fighters only make a few hundred thousand.

After learning about the earnings of female UFC fighters, you might be curious about how much MMA fighters get paid.

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