UFC Stars React to Benn's $15M Deal
Sean O'Malley expressed frustration at Zuffa Boxing's $15 million signing of British boxer Conor Benn, noting "I'm not making f*cking $15 million" and highlighting the growing financial gap between MMA and boxing. The UFC Bantamweight Champion's reaction reflects broader UFC fighter sentiment about pay disparities between the sports.
- Conor Benn's agreement with Zuffa Boxing is reportedly a one-fight deal worth $15 million, after which he would become a free agent again. The fight is anticipated to take place in the United Kingdom in April or May 2026. - For comparison, Sean O'Malley's earnings for his recent UFC title fights are estimated to be between $2 million and $3 million per fight, including base pay and a share of pay-per-view revenue. - Other fighters, like Michael 'Venom' Page, have also voiced their frustration, with Page calling the deal "disappointing" and a poor reflection of how UFC values the fighters who built its reputation. Former champion Demetrious Johnson noted top UFC champions like Ilia Topuria and Khamzat Chimaev are not making $15 million. - Zuffa Boxing is a new promotional company from UFC's parent company, TKO Group Holdings, in a joint venture with the Saudi Arabia-based company Sela. Headed by Dana White, the organization aims to apply the UFC's centralized, league-style model to the sport of boxing. - The significant pay difference is rooted in structural differences between the sports; boxers benefit from the Muhammad Ali Boxing Reform Act, which provides financial transparency and limits coercive contracts, protections that do not exist in MMA. - The revenue share in boxing is also vastly different, with boxers often receiving 50-70% of an event's revenue, while UFC fighters are reported to receive between 16-20%. - The deal caused a major shift in the boxing world, as Benn left his longtime promoter Eddie Hearn of Matchroom Boxing. Hearn stated he was "very surprised" and that losing Benn was "very painful."
