Justin Gaethje’s earnings unaffected by UFC’s Paramount+ agreement

Despite all the hype about a new era in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), it seems like fighters might not be cashing in. The highly anticipated Paramount+ era is about to kick off at UFC 324 this weekend in Las Vegas, but concerns about fighter pay remain at the forefront, especially after the UFC secured a massive $7.7 billion broadcast deal with the streaming giant.

Amidst hopes that this deal would finally mean better pay for fighters, UFC 324 headliner Justin Gaethje has revealed that nothing has changed for him—not even a single dollar. Last month, UFC broadcaster Daniel Cormier suggested that fighters were seeing an increase in pay under the new deal, but Gaethje, who is at the forefront of this partnership, debunked that idea during UFC 324 media day.

According to Gaethje, despite having won 14 bonuses, he still hasn’t cracked $1 million, which he believes is unfair. He expressed his frustration, saying that he should be earning much more to make smarter financial choices, but that simply hasn’t been the case.

Even though there was optimism that bonuses might increase under the new Paramount+ partnership, it seems like not much has changed for Gaethje. He assures that he hasn’t seen any increase in pay compared to what he would have earned without this new deal.

While it’s important to note that Gaethje is still operating under an old contract signed before the Paramount+ deal, questions remain about how the new broadcast money will benefit fighters in the future. Despite UFC President Dana White’s hints about increased bonus structures, the reality seems to be a different story, at least for now.

The lack of a pay raise for the headliner of the first Paramount+ event raises concerns about how the rest of the UFC roster will be impacted by this new era. As of now, it looks like the promising changes might not be trickling down to the fighters taking risks inside the Octagon. The focus shifts to the upcoming UFC 324 event for more updates and insights into this ongoing issue.