Do BKFC fighters get paid more than UFC athletes? Comparing estimated and reported payouts
The BKFC (founded in 2018) has grown to become one of the top bare-knuckle boxing promotions in the world today. On the other hand, since its establishment in 1993, the UFC gradually rose to cement itself as the world's premier MMA organization.
Both promotions are at the top of the heap in their respective sports. Regardless, the UFC is a multi-billion-dollar entity, whereas BKFC has yet to scale the blinding heights of economic magnificence that the UFC has.
On that note, given the significant number of UFC stars who've crossed over and competed in the BKFC, the respective fighter pay offered by the two combat sports organizations has lately become a hot-button topic.
The likes of former UFC lightweight champion Eddie Alvarez and former UFC middleweight kingpin Luke Rockhold have competed in the bare-knuckle boxing organization.
Speaking of which, the consensus is that the most successful transition between the two promotions has been that of Mike Perry. The former UFC welterweight has amassed a bare-knuckle boxing record of 4-0.
In December 2023, following Perry's second-round TKO victory over Eddie Alvarez in their 'King of Violence' title matchup at BKFC 56, the lucrative pay he seemingly bagged piqued fight fans' interest. As per Christopher Lebeau of MMA Uncensored, 'Platinum' secured a paycheck of $1.1 million for fighting Alvarez.
As indicated in a tweet by Lebeau, Perry's total estimated pay from his 15 UFC fights was around $1.3 Million. In other words, 'Platinum's' earnings from one BKFC fight almost equaled what he earned in his entire UFC career combined.
Many in the combat sports community speculated that perhaps the stark dichotomy in Perry's pay in the two organizations was because he wasn't the UFC's biggest star but is arguably the bare-knuckle boxing promotion's biggest star.
Furthermore, rumors were rife that the UFC's allegedly low sponsorship payment structure was to blame in this case, as BKFC fighters earn much more than their estimated fight purse via sponsorships.
Alternatively, one ought to note that a given UFC fighter often receives multiple disclosed and undisclosed bonuses. That could end up amassing fighters more pay per fight than if they were to compete in the bare-knuckle boxing promotion.
It's paramount to highlight that in regard to the topic of fighter pay, the vast majority of amounts are estimated payouts and not official figures. Comparative speculation may provide a general idea of fighter pay in both organizations but may not necessarily be an accurate representation of the ground reality.
BKFC payouts vs. UFC payouts: A closer look at the average figures
In recent years, the BKFC salaries have reportedly started from approximately $2,000 and gone up to $9,000 per match. Per MMA Salaries, in 2022, a few BKFC payouts shot up to $20,000. Besides, as noted, top-tier stars such as Mike Perry have taken home million-dollar paydays in the bare-knuckle boxing promotion.
Meanwhile, it's believed that the base UFC payouts are higher in comparison. The average UFC fighter pay for a lower-tier fighter is $12,000-30,000 per fight. As for the UFC salaries for its biggest stars, it could range anywhere from $500,000 to $3 million and above.
One of the most prominent examples of the same is an individual who's long been the UFC's biggest megastar, Conor McGregor. The Irishman reportedly earned upwards of $23 million for his most recent fight, which transpired at UFC 264 in July 2021.
The pay-per-view (PPV) points accorded to fighters from the evidently gargantuan PPV revenues accrued by the UFC are often attributed as a key factor behind the impressive payouts handed to its top stars. Be that as it may, it's common knowledge that most reported figures are estimates and not officially confirmed numbers.
Additionally, the belief is that the cumulative fighter pay (comprising fight purse, performance bonuses, etc.) from a given matchup is generally higher than most disclosed figures.