Why Boxing Stars Make So Much Money (and Why UFC Stars Don't)

I don't own anything in this video
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/ @scarim4936

[@tjlovesfights]

Took me this long to realize saying “the” MMA doesn’t make sense. I guess I’m still a filthy fucking casual

[@MrMasters1983]

@@paulbunkk But he didnt. He admits it in the first two minutes. The PPV points is where the money is and he doesnt know how much they made. Which makes this propaganda.

[@royalew1thcheese]

yes. yes you are

[@hov4ratl129]

Not all boxers make much money look at chino,cotto ,ggg I can name more. It only that. Big events like may versus pac will make lots of money

[@twentyonetortas5921]

what's a filthy casual exactly?

[@kentallard8852]

while its all balkanized amongst promoters the belts and championships are never going to mean much because it will only be among who is signed to the promoters and who they will pair up

[@2stroketyson79]

Woodley said he made more money in 2 fights vs Jake than he did in 20 years of MMA

[@Trekzity]

Yh

[@hakr1298]

Sad

[@JeffBourke]

This is coming from one of the best to ever fight also. Not even close to average fighter. … that’s messed up.

[@kristiankonttinen5039]

@@JeffBourke Yes but woodley just wasn’t entertaining. People disliked him.

[@JeffBourke]

@@kristiankonttinen5039 at times he wasn’t a great promoter like when he got side tracked talking about race.

[@anthonymatthews20]

Being a boxer is kinda of like being an independent artist Being in the UFC is like getting signed to that 360 deal 😩

[@majortom331]

This is a pretty good analogy

[@PPHDocumentaries]

being a boxer is more like starting your own label and getting a distribution deal (Some boxers have their own promotional company also). Also independent artist on average don`t get paid as much as big selling artist signed to major labels even with a 360 deal. Because big selling artist signed to majors are more likely to get endoresment deals and get paid more from endorsement deals, get paid far more for concerts and guest appeareances on average, get paid more from youtube cause of higher views, is more likely to get movie roles, and have the option to start their own record labels. And its all because, artist who are signed to majors get much better promotions and is more likely to get radio play nationally and internationally.

[@eternalgamers10]

Damn that's a pretty good TLDR

[@mr.lovetaps792]

@@PPHDocumentaries but on average independent artist do/can make more money than a artists signed to a major because they own their masters.. true they might not get endorsements or radio play but artists on the radio are hardly getting money from those plays anyway unless they own their masters which the Majority of artists in the industry do not.. Independent artists REALLY touch the bag if they are buzzing

[@yourlandladysson6395]

Yes

[@Quickeasyguitarlessons]

Wow Mohammad Ali really did a lot for his fellow boxers. What a great man not only he was a great fighter but also an incredibly smart one.

[@eternalgamers10]

Ali is one of the 🐐 for a reason

[@chamuuemura5314]

@Quickeasyguitarlessons Did what? The Ali Act is named in his honor but he didn’t create it.

[@rosscarroll6735]

And JFK did us a great service by building an airport 🤣

[@goodnight360]

@@rosscarroll6735 lol

[@jaymthesn5981]

@@rosscarroll6735 this is why they shot him... The Train's Industry.

[@GeorgeRuiz1]

I'm a boxing manager and I applaud your clear, concise explanation. Well done!

[@lil4unna048]

can you help me become a pro boxer

[@JoeKing837]

@@lil4unna048 no

[@JohnWick-vb9pc]

@@lil4unna048 work hard at it

[@youngmula8811]

@@lil4unna048wya let’s spar

[@youtubeaccountserio2633]

I will tell you the real reason, it’s cause if the ufc pays a couple of millions to a fighter he will lose hunger like conor and diaz did, they were never the same after the huge pay days

[@SuperTommox]

The UFC did some really shady stuff, especialy the Reebok deal. As you pointed out, the Ufc employs hundreds of fighters, so maybe we should factor all the purses not just the high end ones. One thing I love about the Ufc is that you can easily identify who deserves criticism. It's Dana White. The Ufc has a face. You can call him out. Boxing does not.

[@designingtheenemy5869]

Dana doesn't cut checks nor does he have any stake in the company. He sold his shares to the entertainment company that bought it from the frititas. Call them out lol. Dana is just a scapegoat/figure head. Calling him out does absolutely nothing lol.

[@thenedsmmachannel8970]

It's not Dana. It's all Ari Emmanuel and Endeavor. Dana hasn't been making the financial calls since the UFC sold and even then, the Fertitas made all the final decisions

[@champ1159]

Dana is the face but he doesn't make the decisions. He only owns 9% of the business

[@designingtheenemy5869]

@@champ1159 he owned 10 percent that was give to him by the Frititas. He sold them to the company that bought the UFC.

[@designingtheenemy5869]

@@champ1159 he could have some shares still but even Conan O'Brien and Mark Wahlberg have shares in it the last I heard. He's not cutting the checks and paying fighters himself though. It's like blaming the general manager for athletes pay, instead of the billionaire owners. Which in this case is a huge entertainment company.

[@JT-yn6bk]

Paying fighters less than 20% of the revenue while denying them sponsorship opportunities is disgusting. I wonder what percentage of the PPV buys goes into the fighters pockets… The UFC will brag about record profits yet pay the fighters the same in addition to keeping the same $50k bonuses. Keep in mind that the fighters still have to pay over half of their purse towards management, coaching, taxes, travel, etc. The solution would be for the fighters to come together to unionize. It’s no wonder why current champs complain about the pay + so many former champs/ stars have so many bad things to say about the company. I can’t see myself paying for another PPV knowing that such a small portion of that is going to the warriors who risk their long term health for our entertainment.

[@nuttetintosouthapsmom]

And than there is Dana talking aboute the fighters just wanting more money 🤣

[@ishitrealbad3039]

unions would make the sport worse. You fail to see that the UFC is a business and it does what businesses do; make money and expand. UFC is making more money and investing that money into new arenas/buildings and thus also more employees. Couple press conferences ago Dana explained everything regarding money and the competition and actually perfectly showcased how they've increased fighter pay over the years. if fighters actually didn't like their pay, none of them would've been so willing to pursue a career in the UFC. Their pays also aren't a secret legally speaking and yet they don't want you to know what they earn ;)

[@ishitrealbad3039]

@@JT-yn6bk unions would make it so bad fighters don't get cut and good fighters get paid good. unions are bad in any sector. it will not cause for "equal pay", which isn't something you should want anyways.

[@andychan7986]

Wait a minute… people actually buy ufc ppv 😂

[@umarb7325]

Dana says they are independent contractors but subjects them to sponsorship constraints like internal employees. It's a massive screwjob

[@moses2626]

Boxing: only the star eats. UFC: everyone eats. You're either an independent contractor or an employee 🤔

[@josuebarboza9809]

UFC : Management keeps most of the profits Boxing: Workers keep most of the profits

[@TitansQuarterback16]

The risk to reward is unbelievable in the ufc. Why people try so hard to fight in the ufc aware of how they’re being exploited is unbelievable. Boxing is the way.

[@Seven-tk7sp]

Boxing is a dying sport and will continue to die if boxing promoters keep being stingy making their top fighters avoid the other top fighters

[@irishscience580]

@@Seven-tk7sp the sport of boxing is not dying, its just the competitors that are lacking. There's a reason the ufc has only had one mega superstar in mcgregor, whereas boxing has had dozens and dozens. The competitors are dying out not the sport itself

[@Seven-tk7sp]

@@irishscience580 yea only one megastar because mma fans only care about disrespectful trash talk. I’m not talking about PPVs I mean as a real sport boxing is dying, nobody fights each other everyone has padded records and when they do fight big names it takes years of negotiating. In every ufc the best of the best fight each other, same with ONE and Bellator.

[@bigboris5774]

@@Seven-tk7sp “Boxing is a dying sport” The most American statement possible. America is possibly the only country in the world where MMA is more popular than boxing but for some reason you believe your country speaks for the entire world. In Europe boxing is arguably the 2nd biggest sport only behind football. Boxing is definitely “dying” in America, not because it’s becoming worse but because they can’t keep up with the rest of the world. Just like how their national sport Baseball is dying and how the NBA is becoming dominated by Europeans (Giannis, Jokic, Doncic). Football is “dead” in America, cricket is “dead” in America. Americans deadass live in their own bubble.

[@Seven-tk7sp]

@@bigboris5774 I'm not even american or close to being american you muppet. Also no, boxing is dying because of the promoters and higher ups. I love boxing but it's true

[@barrywarry]

the fact that ufc fighters are not allowed to get their own sponsors on their uniform should be illegal

[@ronealrodriguez4949]

how

[@flybeep1661]

@@ronealrodriguez4949 Ok mister stupid, you make it law, you know like that ali act presented in the vid. How fuckin dense can you be?

[@boohoo5239]

This video makes a lot of sense actually. I've always been interested in why there was such a difference in pay between boxing and MMA. Thanks for the video.

[@dfo990]

there was an mma event getting close to the ufc called strikeforce, but everytime there is a new challenger to the ufc their just sells the company..

[@1932LLC]

At the time of the Klitschko fight, the pound was over 50% higher than the dollar. So at the time, it was more like $45M and they each got $22.5M.

[@Moses_VII]

I love both fighting and business case studies. This is the perfect channel for me.

[@RambleOn07]

Bidding wars do occur for UFC fighters. Especially when a contract hits it's end. Hopefully, Bellator or One FC can reach Pride levels soon and become a major challenge for the UFC so that they no longer look like minor leagues.

[@Eyeofthetiger69]

I think ONE FC's currently bigger in Asia than the UFC. And they seem to be on the right direction with their Amazon Prime deal.

[@thirtythree504]

@@Eyeofthetiger69 their events suck

[@champ1159]

@@Eyeofthetiger69 No the UFC is still larger than ONE, even in Asia but ONE is growing in popularity

[@sniperking6321]

We need to watch one fc

[@jordyalmonte42]

@@thirtythree504 one is often more entertaining than the ufc especially with it having competitions in other aspects of mma like kickboxing fights and Muay Thai fights. The overall vibe of one events have more character to them

[@mohammedkhaliq1475]

The UFC really screws fighters over by employing them as “independent contractors” with all the responsibilities but without any of the benefits that independent contractors enjoy. The fighters are bound by a contract that gives the UFC all the power and leaves them at their mercy. Their contract renewal strategies are nasty too. For example a fighter on a five fight contract gets his contract renewed after his third fight and is purposely given a very tough match up to give the UFC more leverage. With the exception of a few fighters, almost all are treated like crap.

[@georgem3673]

The UFC literally owns the champions until they lose the belt!

[@Raptorman0909]

The UFC actually treats their fighters more like gig workers -- the control is with the company and the fighter is simply paid the minimum that Dana White can get away with.

[@sa1boxfitboxercise271]

Great assessment and quite correct. There are two aspects which are telling. Boxers at the top clearly make more money but UFC fighters at the top regularly fight each other. Due to those things that you have stated a few times in your vids TJ! Very succinct and clear way of putting things too. Good job!

[@gagnersimple269]

Dude today I found like 4 amazing underrated chanels, you're one of them !! Great work! (Also ali act is such an epic name)

[@nk760]

Aside from the UFC being exploitative and skirting the Ali Act, boxing is just absurd with it's ppvs. I always wonder who is $75 to watch Ruiz Ortiz or Wilder Helenius. I get paying that for Canelo GGG or Joshua Usyk but no one should be paying that much for fights with such lopsided odds.

[@hardnewstakenharder]

Me and my friends paid to see Ruiz Ortiz last night and it was great. This is pretty normal when you're a fan.

[@Eyeofthetiger69]

The UFC also has that problem, especially with this weekend's card.

[@askip9304]

@@hardnewstakenharder that card should've been free, the undercard only had one known fighter and the main event had people in the venue booing the fighters they came to see, far from a great card

[@yousnoozeyouloze]

UFC also absurd. $75 to watch some overhyped bar brawlers swing at each other, or worse, a 15 minute grappling match.

[@danielbras5123]

@@yousnoozeyouloze you not liking mma isn’t an objective fact lmfao

[@extramile.5yago]

Also In Boxing it takes years to become a household name, even decades. But in the UFC, they can make the right person a household name in just a few years. When I began to watch fighting sports about 2 years ago, I started with Boxing and I was so confused at the structure. Then I went to UFC as a casual and picked up everything pretty quickly. I only began to know enough about boxing after watching this channel.

[@ducnd95]

I think its more complicated than that. Ufc fighters have to start somewhere else and get selected really carefully. They often have at least 10 pro fights before get signed by ufc. Ufc dont sign rookies. In the other hands, boxing pro lisence is something very easy to get, i didnt know that until youtube boxing becomes a thing. Everybody get pro license in no time. Most recently, swarmz (vs ksi) get pro fight with 2 weeks of training, and that event sells real good. Ufc is somehow monopoly here. But cant deny they keep things way more professional than boxing and they are still new compared to boxing.

[@hardnewstakenharder]

That you call it "UFC" instead of MMA means you are still a casual, and you don't really know how it works.

[@ducnd95]

@@hardnewstakenharder in this video specificly, its about boxing and ufc. If you watch the video, take the "ufc is not mma" problem lightly here.

[@Dinnier.]

@@ducnd95 Doesn't matter about the professionalism though, topic is the money, and boxing sells more.

[@BayAreaHoops415]

The UFC and MMA leagues got massive backlash and hate when they first started, everyone was calling it barbaric. But it's growing at a massive rate and pulling in more views in America than boxing is

[@bernardlam2719]

Awesome video, clear, concise, and straight to the point!

[@GlucoseGuy]

This was a nice video. I pretty much understand that the UFC being the biggest game in town pretty much sets its own rules and says, "If you want bet on people finding out who you are without us, go ahead - we know we're the biggest game in town so be thankful for what we give you." I'll bet their contracts are pretty draconian as well. It would be nice to see other players challenge UFC for being a PPV MMA staple. Let the orgs vie for talent instead of the talent being subject to the monopoly's whims.

[@KNTH]

Though it may seem as there is no competitive pay in mma, there actually is. Recently Shane Burgos, not a huge name fighter, signed with PFL over resigning with the UFC because they offered more money; same with Kayla Harrison. Demetrius Johnson also started making much more money with the trade to ONE.

[@deeznuts1422]

Yes, but at the same time, each one of those has its own story for why. Dana openly admitted that not resigning Burgos was a mistake, meaning that he would have just offered him more pay if he knew that Burgos was heading to ONE. So that is not so much competitive pay from other promotions, as much as it is an oversight on the UFC's part. Demetrius Johnson was traded for Askren because he did not bring in large PPV numbers. The UFC felt that the Flyweight division would be better off with a different champ than it was with DJ just defending the belt over and over again. That was really just the UFC not wanting DJ to be the UFC champ. And Kayla Harrison is in ONE for now. However, the UFC will sign her soon. They probably want her to continue to develop more outside of the UFC against lower level competition and stay undefeated, so that when she is ready, they can market her as an unstoppable and undefeated force in her first UFC fight. This is the same reason that Bo Nickel didn't get a UFC contract off of his DWCS performance. They want the hype to build and give him some more time to develop before he hits the big leagues. So in all, there is only competitive pay when the UFC allows their to be competitive pay. If they wanted to keep a fighter, the UFC could easily outspend ONE for any fighter they want.

[@MrEmman12]

@@deeznuts1422 Burgos and Harrison are in PFL not ONE

[@deeznuts1422]

@@MrEmman12 you right, I think I just had ONE on the brain

[@deeznuts1422]

@@rbaker1402 I completely agree with you

[@23bitchris60]

I doubt the UFC would sign Kayla Harrison they don't have a 155 women's division and barely have any fighters at 145 and she's pretty big too so I doubt she'll go down to 135 without it affecting her performance.

[@kkmusick4206]

Great video as always you are helping casuals learn about boxing and other combat sports NFL and NBA has always had a ton. Of content from different channels like this and we only have you

[@Kaari007]

Got yourself a new sub, just binged watched a couple of your videos, keep up the good content!🥊

[@ricardoaugustin39]

Amazing content!! Thank you very much, really insightful

[@saulspanco854]

Awesome video! Ive always wondered how this worked especially with some of the ppv number comparisons.

[@toma7987]

One more thing is that undercard fighters in the ufc get paid more than undercard fighters in boxing. The starting salary in ufc is about 10k + 10k (for win) while you have guys on canelo's undercard fighting for couple of thousands

[@crispyrock6754]

I thought it was 15+15

[@nickleback3695]

The UFC is the top mma organization, even the undercard fighters are decent, most boxers on undercards are bums, so this makes sense.

[@toma7987]

@@crispyrock6754 15+15 is usually a second or even a third contract if the fighter doesn't get much attention from the public

[@toma7987]

@@nickleback3695 I mean you need to be decent if you are fighting on such a strong card (such as canelo's)

[@WhySoBroken]

@@nickleback3695 the ufc undercard are full of bums too

[@banyoutube]

GSP nailed it. Very informative video!

[@scottlopez9089]

Hey bro I've been online reading articles and your video really sums up this topic really well great length too.

[@tellem6965]

Imagine if sponsorships where allowed in the UFC, the big fighters would've got more money from sponsors than the actual fight 😂

[@kenzaemeraldy2393]

@Corporal Feel no way They do had sponsors. But, UFC won't let the fighters promote their sponsors on fights. All because of the Venum/Reebok deal.

[@kenzaemeraldy2393]

@Corporal Feel no way one more insane thing, UFC doesn't allow their fighters to using their national flag during walkout

[@RunForPeace-hk1cu]

That’s a good thing

[@eugeniocg3079]

amazing thanks for putting this together

[@AndyDwyerSpeaks]

Good job mate, well put together and produced.

[@brandon.l4ra]

I’ve been getting into boxing and your videos really help me understand and explain boxing to other people. Keep up the videos brodie 🔥

[@YouTube_Boxing-mu8dr]

@Higher understanding You good bro?

[@frieza2235]

Thanks to Ksi I’ve been finding out more and more about boxing too. The more knowledge the better

[@irishbomber]

@Higher understanding what are you talking about

[@matcho23]

@Higher understanding what if he wants to become a boxer, this videos wont be irrelevant then

[@slippy1623]

@Higher understanding somebody come get their mans, he's embarrassing himself out here 😬

[@XS0780]

I just came by to let you know that your videos are absolutely fire! You have explained a lot of things that people who are new to boxing like me wanted to know, like you straight up read my mind about it lol. Keep them videos coming, my friend.

[@onjadar]

@XS0780 Same as me. I thirst for this kind of knowledge, where sport meets business, that's where my head is at. This is such a well researched video which contains alot of what people would, and I suggest should, want to know. Brilliant content, new sub.

[@NotADuncon]

Saying "average boxer makes less than an average ufc fighter" is a bit silly. You are comparing the whole sport of boxing to the post prestigious MMA (the sport) organization.

[@TomCruz54321]

Agreed. The average MMA fighter is not in the UFC. They are in some smelly, ran-down pub that doubles as fighting arena. The fighters in the UFC are above average not just in terms of skill but also salary, so they do not represent all MMA fighters in lower organizations.

[@NotADuncon]

@@TomCruz54321 or they are outside of america where pay is lower. I know a local organizer for basically 2nd league of promotions and those people don't make more than boxers.

[@SuperStation-17]

Thank you for this analysis. I particularly liked the explanation of the Ali Act. I do think that it’s important to mention the UFC champions and some non champ headliners do get PPV points. For example, both McGregor and Diaz are each reported to have made 10 million plus in the PPV revenue split, in addition to the numbers that you reported. Obviously, you’d have to be a big draw to generate numbers like that though.

[@besmah0252]

This channel is actually so good. Just binged every video and learned a lot. Keep up the good work bro👍🏽

[@jldoubleu4993]

i recently realized how new you are to making KZbin content, your shit is really good! cant wait to see you grow my man

[@maxiricci910]

your videos are fire bro keep doing what you’re doing

[@garyhost354]

Like the effort you put into this video. 👍🏽

[@saicharan1850]

This channel is like a gold mine for rookie fight enthusiasts

[@theplainsightpodcast9602]

This is EASILY the best breakdown on this subject.

[@strikeback1080]

Great vid. I loved how you showed the pay disparity between UFC fighters and boxers on the average and superstar level because as your vid showed there is a clear difference. I had no idea about the Reebok deal with The UFC and the devastating effect that had on UFC fighters ability to generate income through sponsorship. I guess the advantage from the fan perspective was something you touched on at the end is that in the UFC the big names fight each other immediately and there is no room for avoidance. Boxing fans have to wait for the big showdowns as in the situation with Terrance Crawford and Errol Spence. Although part of me wonders if that is more reflective of the fans. How many times has either Diaz brother or Connor McGreggor lost a fight? UFC fans still love them. Compare that with the backlash Canelo Alvarez got when he lost to Dimitry Bivol. So I guess maybe you could say the UFC is more fan friendly because the fans are more understanding of losses? None of that justifies the "stiffing" UFC superstars out of big money deals though.

[@salvadorromero9712]

The "average boxer makes much less than the average UFC fighter" is misleading, because the "average" of one to the other is in no way equivalent. Pretty much any boxer can declare himself professional, and the number of pro boxers out there is astronomical, compared to the tiny number of athletes signed to the top elite MMA promotion. The average UFC fighter is still getting completely robbed compared to his talent counterpart in boxing, which is miles above the level of the "average" pro boxer. There's no doubt that the single-promotion model has its own huge advantages from the fan perspective. When MMA was coming up fast as the new thing and boxing was at its lowest point, I remember all the press and chatter being about how unsatisfying the boxing situation had become for the fan and this was something that the MMA structure had clearly mastered and solved. But in general people did not think of things from athletes' perspective as workers in any sport nearly as much as they do now; the attitude was very different.

[@strikeback1080]

@@salvadorromero9712 That's a really good point. I know someone who recently signed to the UFC and another attempting. The level of training these two have put into BJJ alone is astounding. Which says nothing of all the boxing and Muay Thai gyms they trained at. Yes very good point. I never really looked at it that way.

[@dinnerpancakes]

Dude this was an awesome break down of the whole thing. Makes sense. Just hope for MMA fighters there is some middle ground one day.

[@samuell.bookeriii3457]

Absolutely great video learned a lot more Ufc needs a better setup to ensure great fighters are taken care of even after it's over💯

[@kintarooe8688]

Bro I hope you keep uploading regularly. Your channel is addicting and I finished every video you made.

[@mahmoodabdulrazzaq5033]

This is such an informative video. Nice work.

[@adrees]

Beautiful video with really well said explanation of how it works.

[@BlakeLovesPoland]

i wish you were an mma only guy, you’re content is so good

[@tjlovesfights]

I am an MMA guy too lol just so much to talk about in boxing

[@andrewwaybright9053]

Boxing is better

[@2dank361]

@@tjlovesfights please give us more mma videos ! your channle is unique

[@alexbradley5525]

Boxing is better

[@aussieflintkapping]

Everyone saying boxing is better like the sport isn't dying 🤡

[@shmookins]

Very informative video, thank you. I know nothing about MMA, so my question is; could one of the reasons these different organizations don't consolidate (by choice or by law) is that the rules of MMA is different between them? In boxing, the rules are the same regardless of organization. I know there are different types of MMA, but the 'general' one we see at the UFC; is it the same in Pride and in Bellator, etc.?

[@suryanshgarg5273]

First time seeing a detailed explanation, as compared to just shouting increase fighter pay. Thanks man!

[@ronibajralia7008]

Nice video! Thanks for breaking it down for me. Now it all makes sense

[@TMWBoxing]

Another great video! This is exactly why there needs to be more MMA promotions to compete with the UFC. Unfortunately newer promotions try to compete with them by increasing fighter pay and buying fighters from the UFC without having the viewership or sponsorship to really afford those salaries. Then when they fail the UFC uses them as a case study as to why they shouldn't their fighters more. When the root behind it is that increasing the pay was the only way they could get notable names. The UFC has positioned themselves as GSP stated as a monopoly so it is a losing cause to rival them. If you happen to dig a little place for yourself and survive against the UFC will ultimately just buy them out (WEC and Strikeforce) to avoid competition again. With no competition there cant be any growth financially for the fighters. Especially when the UFC gives them such restrictive contracts that they can't earn extra money fighting in other sports (aka boxing). They really need a labor union to fix this but since the brand is bigger than the fighters, who knows if that will ever work. But hey people thought the same thing about Amazon till it happened to them lol

[@Pinkie007]

Agreed. Though one other thing to mention is the fact that the UFC, and MMA as a whole is very new. Boxing has existed for generations now. Though sure the UFC has existed for 30 years now, it didn’t really become truly mainstream popular until the Conor McGregor era. Even during the Chuck Liddell era the UFC was big sure, but not at all what it is today. I think we may start to see more competition in the years to come now that MMA fight viewership is catching up to Boxing viewership.

[@Pinkie007]

To add to my comment. On the other hand we may not see competition ever get to the level of the UFC but it could get close. The simple reason for this is the UFC has a fairly well established “moat” around their castle. What this means is that when I say “soft drink” you think “Coca Cola” When I say “smartphone” you think “Apple” When I say “MMA” you automatically think “UFC” This moat effect is very real and is a huge advantage for any business that has that aura around it. It’s a true factor investors take into account when choosing a company to invest in. So while competition may come around, the UFC has a high chance of remaining the Coca Cola of MMA so to speak.

[@moyam3931]

The advantage is MMA is New and UFC happened to be on those who did it first, correctly. With time, it is likely promotions may become bigger but the largest issue is credibility. Perhaps if MMA promotions stay continental then perhaps there could be a chance for increase

[@PPHDocumentaries]

They don`t need no union. Boxing have no union and big name fighters are getting the bag. After the contract is up, big name UFC fighters just need to boss up, unite and and demand to get paid what they are worth or refuse to participate and go become a boxer that`s all. Without the athletes in UFC the UFC would be nothing, and the UFC would be forced to submit if the big names walk out. Basketball, Football, Baseball and Tennis are heavily monopolized also but big name athletes are drowning in money in those sports.

[@youtubeaccountserio2633]

I will tell you the real reason, it’s cause if the ufc pays a couple of millions to a fighter he will lose hunger like conor and diaz did, they were never the same after the huge pay days

[@kenanKTV]

Finally somebody explained it thoroughly. UFC Fighters need to build their name up and leave the company. Francis Ngannou did the best move I've seen against the company. I hope Conor will follow soon and promote his own fights and start the new shift of the current structure.

[@yoool7137]

conor did it with mayweather, he was the first one i guess. the best way is to fight the top boxers in a boxing match...kamaru wanted to fight canelo because of that, but ufc and canelo didnt want it, ngannou is trying it also with tyson fury, but somehow we dont hear anything about it anymore....conor was rly lucky with the mayweather fight

[@thenedsmmachannel8970]

Francis is still under the UFC. He hasn't done anything really and it seems like he will stay. Also Francis isn't a star.

[@kenanKTV]

@@yoool7137 Conor did it with* Dana lol It's time to cut out these people at this point. Ngannou is still recovering from his double knee surgery and will fight Fury in march 2023.

[@kenanKTV]

@@thenedsmmachannel8970 He doesnt need to be a star to make 10x what he does against fury

[@thirtythree504]

Francis is gonna comeback to the ufc. No other mma company can afford him

[@vito4801]

Very well explained, nice video my dude

[@dominicsuarez2221]

This was a amazing educational video and I appreciate this so much! Amazing video and great explaining to people like me who ain't the smartest cat out there lol keep up the amazing work I am definitely subscribing

[@lsd-rickb-1728]

You make really great combat sports videos and the political sphere of it as well.

[@pHDinSnowcones]

I think the benefits of having one league far outweighs the cons. The solution is for the fighters to unionize like in the NBA. I imagine that’s difficult though because of how diverse the fighters are culturally and the fact that it’s a blood sport.

[@firmanimad]

Its difficult to compare, but financially and structurally UFC is more akin to a club than a league. UFC is not the Premier League, its Manchester United or Liverpool.

[@AS-ss3cz]

Yes, benefit for the viewers, the fighters on the other hand are hurt by this. And honestly they should be more of a priority than the viewers since theyre putting their life on the line

[@nateriver7848]

Benefits outweigh the cons for who? Definitely not the fighters.

[@ballinboxer3676]

The benefits in no way whatsoever outweight the cons. Stop it.

[@pjjp2041]

@@nateriver7848 For who? I don't know... Maybe everybody exept few biggest stars? Look at the average pay of fighters, look at the justice in rankings - in mma fighter doesn't have to be superstar to be maineventer, you are winning fights, you go up, you can get ppv money cause you are a champ, even thou you are not popular. Boxing rankings and structure is number one bullshit. Also in MMA fighters can lose and still can get a lot of money. Look at Nate Diaz, with his record in boxing he would earn like 20k per fight maybe.

[@nikolasmrzel2837]

Excellent explanation. Well done!

[@mike89812]

this was a great video. thank you

[@CyclingMartialartswithMusic]

As long as words like "Im just glad im in the UFC" exist, the pay will remain low. This is prize fighting. People should go for the price not the participation trophy. Dana knows that 😑

[@zachstolpa6521]

Basically fighting is only worth it when you get to a certain level in the ufc or boxing. Until the structure of things below that change it’ll only be worth fighting at those levels I mentioned.

[@loverofhumanity]

@@zachstolpa6521 yup, I was a decent fighter when I was a bit younger. Pro level but not top 10 level probably. Decided not to pursue fighting because I understood that. I'd have to make all those sacrifices and work my ass off 5-6 hrs a day only to be paid 10-10 for 5 fights and never actually earn anything out of it. It just ain't worth it for the average guy. Its sad cause when I go to the gym so many guys don't understand that but I guess it's not too bad if they're young. When they're 30 plus though just join masters divisions and enjoy the sport as a hobby imho. That's where I'm at now. I don't train every day and don't kill myself over it if I don't.

[@zachstolpa6521]

@@loverofhumanity exactly. It’s just about being aware and honest with yourself and what you’re looking at trying to do.

[@Mr-E.]

Usman also shared in the PPV points. As Daniel Cormier said the other day, there is a lot of pay that is hidden behind the scenes. Most likely, Usman made around $5 million for the fight. According to DC, Israel Adesanya makes between $5 million and $7 million. Khabib was around $10 million. Conor is around $20 million.

[@TOMMY_BLC]

Exactly he forgot to mention that...!! Usman made a lot fighting masvidal

[@polarvortex3294]

Yes. A star's share of PPV points is an insane thing to not include. Like not counting a (U.S) server's tips when talking about what they make. Renders half the video pointless.

[@SD78]

LOL...bullshit. Headliners can get PPV points, but 'behind the scenes money' isn't remotely close to being in the millions.

[@LukeKyleWalker]

@@polarvortex3294 All incedibly underpaid, for example Conor : Sells 1.5 million ppv mimimum which equals to over 110 million dollars in revenue from the ppv alone, and the ufc makes as much money with gates, sponsorships, tvdeals, etc as ppv

[@gold9994]

@@LukeKyleWalker Mcgregor is making 30 million at least

[@masaharumorimoto4761]

Great video! I personally feel that the UFC will evolve to pay more under legislation similar to the Ali act, it's still super early in MMA, exciting to watch the rise over the last 15-20 years!!! Seems like just yesterday I was watching UFC 69 in the basement, that was 2 houses ago HAHAHA and 2 cities ago too!!!

[@linggiman]

thx for the vid ma man

[@anthonysoto9943]

Like he stated earlier fighters in the UFC that are rising through the ranks make significantly more than boxers on the rise. The biggest difference between boxing vs UFC is that boxing is essentially just selling the main event while the UFC tries to stack the card. The model that boxing is structured by could never be applied to mma

[@liesejunh]

Ya. I wish he would have talked about that. The ufc takes care of the newbies for sure and they make a very low barrier to entry.

[@zachr1012]

100%, I was about to write this same comment until I saw this. A boxing card is tbe main event and that’s about it, unless your a diehard fan you’ve never heard of 80% of the card. Almost every UFC PPV is stacked, and every fighter on it is making a decent purse. Boxers at the bottom of the Usyk Joshua card probably made next to nothing, plus that fight is the only reason to even buy the card, but with the ufc you know every fighter and all the fights are good for the most part.

[@anthonysoto9943]

@@zachr1012 Dana also does a video prior to the fights to give information for the less known fighters. Boxings business model only serves the top draws while the MMA model is to create as many stars possible to keep the sport growing. The perfect example of this is in the last few years the only boom boxing has had is in the KZbin boxing and those fans haven’t really transitioned over. If you look at the UFC they have expanded to different markets and are building stars plus PI facilities to train the stars of tomorrow.

[@PatkaBoy831]

So why are fighters always begging for more then if they make more on the rise? I don't buy that. People make it sound like boxers are living like paupers on the rise.

[@karlali7155]

@@PatkaBoy831 don’t buy it? This isn’t a rumour… You can literally look at the show money UFC fighters make and even the very bottom get at least 20k but in boxing the up and comers get around 1% of that. Even iron Mike Tyson only got 500 a fight in his first few fights and he was hyped up…

[@buckseedamerica2743]

I wonder if Nike is talking to Nate after the iced shoe issue yesterday during the press conference. Hopefully he gets some kind of endorsement because that was great marketing during UFC time!

[@enydreaddy6622]

Im subscribed. Great content.

[@MotivationMindset100]

Great video mate

[@MrBrockHeinz]

This is a solid explanation but I'm gonna need an additional explanation as to where the hell "the MMA" as a phrase came from. 😂😂

[@avtzuko7007]

Wait as in the mma or mixed martial arts

[@DivineAtheistWannabe]

In a nutshell: -Boxing is good for the fighters -UFC is good for the fans (because there's no dodging. If Dana says you gotta fight, you gotta fight, otherwise you lose your title. No dodging.That's why we have such awesome UFC matchups month after month)

[@gianerroltabliago9313]

real champs fr

[@solotx8798]

If those month after month matchups were really so "awesome", in the sense of fans desperately wanting to see them, then the fighters in those matchups wouldn't be making peanuts, because they would have the leverage to demand more (potentially by threatening to hold the fight on their own). Basically, you have it backwards. The reason UFC fighters make peanuts, is because UFC fans, relatively speaking, don't particularly about the particular fighters/matchups. It's the UFC rules/brand itself that is the reason the fans tune in. If fighters try to say "hey can we maybe get paid a little more", the response is "why the hell would we pay you more when we can just replace you with whoever?"

[@unbindingfloyd]

@@solotx8798Remove the top card from ufc and boxing then look at the pay. Boxing is overpaying its top billers and underpaying up and comers. Thats why UFC is growing. The barrier to entry is far lower and the pay even as a prelim is better than most boxers outside the main card. This results in big money for a few boxers and even fewer fights padding records against more fighters and more fights without dodging records. For the fans and up and comers UFC is vastly more interesting and fair. At the top the only thing boxing has is more money. What exactly does that give me as a fan? Its a recipe for stagnation. Its why youtubers are boxing champions in boxing while UFC 300 was a historic card.

[@JoseLeybaDiaz]

Thanks, very well explained amigo

[@danielosagieimahiyerobo8260]

Great video. Would love to see one comparing the pay of boxers and mixed martial artists at different career levels like local shows, or as a prelim but for a big card.

[@JewelAhmed3]

If Conor McGregor, Jon Jones and other in the early and mid 2010s spoke about the reebok deal. They could have protected their own sponsorship deal. Conor McGregor made more money in his one boxing fight than his whole career in the UFC. Dana White UFC is like NFL. The UFC is a organisation sports, whereas Boxing is a superstar sport.

[@guthrien]

Fantastic video. Like most industries, until a political force steps in, or the fighters band together (much easier said than done), they'll never make their true worth. The fans don't care because they get the greatest benefit over boxing of all - they see the fights that should be made. It feels miraculous when the stars align and we see the right boxers at the right time.. in the UFC you get that all the time which is much more satisfying from a fan's perspective. From a viewer's seat, every time the promotions constrict, the viewing experience gets better. Meanwhile, the fighters lose financial security for risking their health and displaying their true talents.

[@majortom331]

I'm a fighters first type of person through and through, so if we can't get every matchup then its alright to me i guess. Granted its been happening more recently as well with the Ngannou Jones fight. But I still believe that there is hope for mma fighters. Specifically in the on-going antitrust suit from former fighters, as well as the MMAFA trying to amend the Ali Act to fit MMA. But even with that hope, that will still be a long haul, with the UFC's monsterous legal team and lobbyists.

[@goldenxkarma155]

This video blew my mind I’ve always wondered about this lol

[@OmarDenarzi]

Thanks for the video.

[@liesejunh]

Yup. It’s pretty sad to see the UFC’s pay. However the ufc does some stuff that I could only imagine are not cheap. First the ufc covers injuries sustained in a fight and during training, which I can imagine is not cheap. Surgeries and therapies can easily exceed 10k and it’ll easily sink a starting fighter. Also, the ufc reinvests their money back into the sport with their Performance institutes which are free to all fighters on their roster. It makes taking care of their entry fighters and allows those newbies to grow. also the ufc has USADA. Just some things to think about. I think the issues come after a fighter becomes a star. There is really no way to leverage the ufc with competition. A fighter can negotiate for a better contract by abstaining from fighting but that’s all that they can really do.

[@rockychang7595]

Alli in all, ufc is good for up and coming fighters or average fighters. Big names are where boxing benefits the most. However as MMA grows, i think it’ll overtake and pay will increase.

[@lnfrosty]

@@rockychang7595 to be honest UFC cannot be worth it ever. First of all your getting horrible pay, (let’s say your a amateur making 50k a fight, and you fight 3 times a year, total yearly salary 150k) the repercussions? You get elbowed, kicked, punched, slammed on your head, surely your going to get brain damage and CTE eventually. All for a measly 150k a year. I’ve always been confused about that. While in boxing you could play it like Floyd, he got barely damaged in over 50 fights, and went home nearly a billionaire. Why would you risk your health and body for such little money? It’s a matter of time before MMA fighters realize this, or perhaps they’ve already had

[@rockychang7595]

@@lnfrosty starting pay in boxing is less, and ufc covers medical expenses. As the the capital of ufc grows over time they will build up bigger payouts.

[@lephtovermeet]

When a constitutional lawyer reviewed the UFC contract as part of the recent class action against the UFC, he said certain clauses in their contract violate the 13th amendment.

[@thirtythree504]

So your comparing a ufc athlete to a slave? What lawyer said this and how do you know he didn't just say that for likes?

[@Drpepperspray1010]

Who cares what a single lawyer “said”. It was never ruled in court that they actually did violate the 13th amendment. Commenting this is like saying “my friends cousins birthday party clown said ufc violates fighters rights.” Nobody cares what a clown said.

[@Infraredxxxxx]

Great video 👍

[@carln.6934]

Great presentation 👍🏽

[@Mike_Nowlan]

The thing about the average boxer vs ufc fighter is the fact that in mma the UFC is the highest you can go in terms of who you work for. If you’re in the ufc your considered to have both “made it” but also it means you’re one of the best in the world. There’s only 1 UFC but there’s like 5 different titles in boxing, it’s so oversaturated.

[@Clarkem1]

Very true

[@Desintyx2]

yes... he talks about this

[@markjohnson3196]

Best way to describe it

[@mightynathaniel5355]

appreciated research and presentation

[@jvfresh3053]

that beat mix on Energy x Big Krit was pretty cool.

[@allrounderal2958]

i find this video to be rather disturbing about the UFC considering how they control everything and how they did their business to their own fighters. not to mention the fucking contracts that im really surprised isn't even considered an illegal treatment.... i really hope One FC, eagle FC,PFL and bellator crush ufc one day or fighters unionized themselves for more than 16% pay outs from every events....

[@colindowden2182]

Keep hoping because neither of those things are happening.

[@geoffreysorkin5774]

When the Ali rule gets applied to MMA it will end the UFC's fucking over of fighters.

[@thirtythree504]

So do you want fighters to make more money or for the ufc to be destroyed? It seem you care more about the ladder

[@geoffreysorkin5774]

@@thirtythree504 Fighters get paid more in One and Bellator. Take away the UFC's largely illegal contracts that fighters are afraid to contest (i.e. contracts that never end if you win, get injured, or retire) and the UFC either dies or treats its fighters properly. Most people are ambivalent whether the UFC reforms or dies. I suspect when push comes to shove, the UFC will choose to reform.

[@allrounderal2958]

@@thirtythree504 ray borg had to open gofundme just to get his son the medical treatment they needed, if he was compensated enough he would have been training and fighting full time. while jackass like chicken Mcnugget get to turn mma upside down for the worse like not defending his belts yet been holding it for over a year and effectively held the whole division down back then yet he got paid more than dustin ever will be who made him not belong there anymore. don't tell me the ufc is doing great with their broken system when fighters like flyod doesn't lose even when he's overpaid like hell. maybe try fighting for a living before you run your mouth

[@gochaavtandilashvili8372]

It is disgusting how low the percentage of the event revenue the fighters get in the UFC

[@corspencer]

I'm so glad you made this video. I've been saying for years MMA fighters get rip off. You'd be amazed how many MMA fan boys will side with Dana over their 'supposed favorite fighter. SmssH!!

[@georgem3673]

Great video, I expected some bias when I clicked here! SUBSCRIBED!

[@JoePAcalaughs]

Let's just take a moment to applaud the courage and discipline of the fighters of both sports who essentially put their lives, health, brain wellness, and future on the line for the fans' entertainment, regardless of pay. Badass. God bless em, the modern gladiators. You want them on your side when SHTF worldwide.

[@treydog700]

I think the main thing you are missing in all of this is that because the ufc is more like a sports league they use the money gained from ppvs to pay fighters that are young and up and coming and they also have to pay their larger staff and overhead. With that being said I don’t know if they should be paying their fighters 16% of the total revenue but if their costs only leave 32% of the total revenue as net income it would be fair. A 50/50 split or somewhere around there of net income definitely is fair in my book

[@WontHarmYou]

These people need to stop comparing sports. The ufc does things way different than boxing in general. No comparison at all

[@MegaCathal97]

Excellently explained, my guy.

[@vasylkamysh7990]

Very nice explanation. thanks!

[@DammitBobby]

The UFC is being argued as a monopsony, not a monopoly. Just a technical clarification. Great video as always.

[@bobbyjoeyoung2becausesteph194]

Dana white has a monopoly on talent therefore they use the word monopoly and he use the right word

[@DammitBobby]

@@bobbyjoeyoung2becausesteph194 when an entity is the sole producer, they are a monopoly. When the entity is the sole buyer, they are a monopsony. The UFC are the sole buyer of 90+ of top mma talent (who are independent contractors) , making them a monopsony. They are not the only producer of MMA events, making them not a monopoly. Hopefully that cleared things up

[@bobbyjoeyoung2becausesteph194]

@@DammitBobby i said wrong thing but somebody actually explained what is meant and its not a monopoly like you said but its as close to one as you can get without being one some shit like that i have to find post that explained it

[@CV-vk3cy]

Very different content i like your approach

[@slimshady6728]

8:00 the image 😭😭😭 I love you man

[@jajangmyeon6914]

Thats why Conner Mcgregor went to go fight Floyd mayweather and made 100m lol

[@orthodoxboxing9159]

Exactly LMAO Floyd makes 250m’s everytime he fights and you got mma fans wanting him to do mma for 200kn

[@thebearkhabibwrestled3442]

From what I've seen is never believe what UFC fighters get paid from those new articles. I heard Usman even made 8m with ppv points for the Masvidal fight and he got side money from Dana that's is not included in reports. It's just garbage estimates

[@chrisrobinson8784]

8m is cap, show me the source

[@majortom331]

@@chrisrobinson8784 no name websites like fightscout that know that most states commisions dont post payouts publically for MMA anymore due to UFC intervention.

[@SharkAshore-mm3ri]

It’s fake

[@abhinandankumar338]

Great video. Addressed all points.

[@TheKoolace17]

Great Video, by the way. It just feels a bit biased when it could be more objective and still make the same points while showing more of the other side as well.

[@ggd2mf603]

Should mention that UFC champions get a %cut of the PPV. Which gives the fighters a chance at bumping up their income. It's in their interest to bring as many ppv sales as possible.

[@monty1691]

Great video but you forgot to mention ppv buys for the ufc champs. Usman was paid much more than 750,000. That is his base along with back end ppv.