Overview
- Jackson argued on his podcast that $1 million Fight of the Night and Performance bonuses would push fighters to take risks and deliver more action.
- He cited the UFC’s reported $7.7 billion media-rights deal with Paramount as evidence the promotion can afford dramatically larger awards.
- The UFC has kept standard post-fight bonuses at $50,000 since 2013, a figure fighters and analysts note has eroded in value with inflation.
- Criticism of UFC 321 for cautious bouts, including the Volkov vs. Almeida matchup and a main event that ended in a double eye poke, reignited the debate over incentives.
- Past one-off increases included $300,000 bonuses at UFC 300 and a brief bump at UFC 304, while broader context shows fighters receive roughly 17–20% of event revenue and the UFC generated $1.406 billion in 2024, with analysts estimating seven-figure bonuses each event could cost tens of millions annually.