During a UFC 324 media session, fighter Justin Gaethje disputed claims regarding increased fighter compensation following the UFC's seven-year, $7.7 billion broadcast deal with Paramount. Gaethje stated he would not receive higher pay for UFC 324 as a result of this new agreement.
Dana White, UFC CEO, addressed Gaethje's comments during an appearance on The Pat McAfee Show. White stated that Gaethje had been offered a new contract with increased financial terms prior to his interim title fight against Paddy Pimblett but did not respond to the offer.
White has consistently indicated that fighters will receive higher salaries after the new broadcast deal with Paramount begins. The agreement reportedly more than doubles the previous payment from ESPN. Post-fight bonuses, currently set at $50,000, are also expected to increase.
White affirmed that fighters would benefit from the broadcast deal. This includes athletes who previously earned bonuses based on pay-per-view sales, as all UFC events will now air on Paramount+ without additional cost to subscribers. White stated that a system is in place to compensate fighters similarly to how pay-per-view bonuses were calculated.