The UFC's multibillion-dollar Paramount+ deal was supposed to signal a new era of increased fighter compensation. Instead, it sparked a public back-and-forth between UFC President Dana White and main event fighter Justin Gaethje that exposed familiar fault lines around fighter pay just days before the promotion's landmark UFC 324 event.
Dana White vs. Justin Gaethje: The Fighter Pay Row Before UFC 324
Gaethje, who headlines the January 24 card at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas against Paddy Pimblett for the interim lightweight title, told media Wednesday that he would not earn a single dollar more for this fight than he would have without the UFC's seven-year, $7.7 billion broadcasting agreement with Paramount+. The deal, which averages $1.1 billion annually and doubles the UFC's previous ESPN contract, eliminates traditional pay-per-view fees and makes all numbered events available to subscribers at no additional cost.
"To this day, I hear Daniel Cormier saying everybody is going to get paid more on this card," Gaethje said during the UFC 324 media day. "I'm not getting paid one dollar more than if this deal hadn't happened".
The comments directly contradicted statements from UFC Hall of Famer and commentator Daniel Cormier, who claimed in late December that fighters were already receiving increased compensation under the new structure. Cormier said on his podcast that with pay-per-view revenue no longer a factor, fighters were being offered larger guaranteed purses instead of gambling on PPV points that might not materialize.ββ
White responded Thursday on The Pat McAfee Show, disputing Gaethje's account entirely. The UFC president claimed the promotion had offered Gaethje a new contract with higher pay ahead of UFC 324, but the fighter never responded to the offer.
"We completely have it dialed in," White said. "We've got really smart kids, and they can get down within single digits on how close it would be to pay them like it was a pay-per-view. Gaethje, without getting into all that stuff, Gaethje was offered more money, and Gaethje never responded. [But] we're good [with Gaethje]".
Fighter Bonuses Remain at $50,000 Despite Revenue Surge
Gaethje also expressed frustration that his 14 post-fight bonuses throughout his UFC career have totaled less than $1 million. Based on his bonus history, he earned 13 bonuses at the standard $50,000 rate, plus a $300,000 bonus for his Fight of the Night performance against Max Holloway at UFC 300 in April 2024, bringing his total bonus earnings to $950,000.
"To have 14 bonuses and not equal up to $1 million is not right," Gaethje said. "It should be a lot more than that".
The $50,000 standard bonus has remained unchanged since 2013, despite UFC revenues multiplying fivefold since that time. When adjusted for inflation, the current $50,000 bonus has approximately 30% less purchasing power than when it was first instituted in 2007. White has stated that bonuses will increase under the Paramount deal but has not specified amounts or timelines.
When given an opportunity to address White's claims during Thursday's UFC 324 press conference, Gaethje declined to engage. A reporter asked him to respond to White's assertion that he had been offered more money but did not reply. Gaethje immediately shut down the question with six words: "I'm here to talk about fighting".
The exchange suggested that either a conversation had taken place between Gaethje and UFC management after his media day comments, or the fighter simply wanted to avoid further controversy with White watching from the stage. Fans on social media speculated that Gaethje may have been warned to stop discussing fighter pay publicly.
While Gaethje criticized his bonus totals, he said he has managed his UFC earnings responsibly by investing in real estate and supporting his family. He purchased a commercial property and a house in Arizona near his parents, which his sister now rents from him.
"The best thing I did is probably invest in a commercial property," Gaethje said. "I purchased a house in Arizona that's like a mile away from my parents, my sister is renting that from me now, and really just being able to help my family. Give them Christmas gifts that I never would've been able to give them, take them on vacations that I never would have been able to. That's the smartest thing I did because you never get that time back with your family".
UFC 324 marks the official start of the UFC's Paramount+ era, with the main card beginning at 9 p.m. ET on Saturday, January 24. Gaethje faces Pimblett for the interim lightweight title, with the winner expected to face undisputed champion Ilia Topuria later in 2026.