UFC 310 was an event packed with controversy, entertainment, and some exciting new winners. One of the highlights was the UFC debut of Japanese fighter Kai Asakura, who faced off against Alexandre Pantoja. Unfortunately for Asakura, his debut didn’t go as planned, as he lost the fight to Pantoja, who continued to reign supreme in the division. However, the event was also significant in terms of UFC’s promotional guidelines compliance pay, with a total of $368,500 distributed to the fighters.

For those unfamiliar, compliance pay covers various elements such as outfitting requirements with UFC’s official outfitting partner Venum, media obligations, and other items under the UFC’s fighter code of conduct, replacing the former payments under the UFC Athlete Outfitting Policy. According to MMA Junkie, the top compliance pay at UFC 310 went to Pantoja, who earned $42,000, while Asakura received $32,000 for his debut fight. The co-main eventers including Shavkat Rakhmonov and Ian Garry, each earned $6,000 for their efforts.

Ciryl Gane took home $11,000 while Alexander Volkov earned $16,000. Fighters like Dooho Choi, and Nate Landwehr bagged $6000 with Dominick Reyes earning $11,000. Veterans like Vicente Luque and Anthony Smith received a healthy sum of $21,000. While the payouts might vary, the event showcased the growing importance of compliance pay in ensuring that UFC fighters are compensated for their efforts, both inside and outside the octagon.

Under the UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance program, fighter payouts are structured based on the total number of UFC bouts, as well as Zuffa-era WEC (since January 2007) and Strikeforce bouts (since April 2011). Fighters are categorized into tiers according to their experience, with the following payout structure:

• Fighters with 1-3 bouts receive $4,000 per appearance.
• Fighters with 4-5 bouts earn $4,500.
• Fighters with 6-10 bouts receive $6,000.
• Fighters with 11-15 bouts earn $11,000.
• Fighters with 16-20 bouts pocket $16,000.
• Fighters with 21 bouts or more get $21,000.

Additionally, champions receive a higher payout of $42,000, while title challengers are compensated with $32,000. On top of these experience-based payouts, UFC fighters are also entitled to royalty payments for merchandise featuring their likeness, which range from 20-30 percent of sales, ensuring ongoing earnings from UFC-branded products.

This program is designed to reward fighters not only for their in-octagon performance but also for their long-term contributions to the promotion’s global brand. With the PPV calendar for 2024 reaching its end, the year 2025 looks even better!

The future looks bright going into 2025

UFC is one of the most profitable promotions in the world, and a $5 million gate for one of its pay-per-view cards is considered fairly routine for Dana White’s organization. UFC 310, for example, generated a $5 million gate, a figure that, while impressive, falls within the typical range for a major UFC event.

According to MMA reporter Aaron Bronsteter, this makes UFC 310 the 18th highest-grossing event at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, out of the 30 events held there. Despite UFC 310 not being a record-breaking gate, the promotion has still seen immense success with its events in 2024, both in terms of actions and financial earnings. Four of the highest-grossing UFC events ever took place this year, with UFC 306 standing out as the top performer, pulling in over $21 million at the gate.

Additionally, UFC 300, the highly anticipated anniversary card, also delivered impressive ticket sales, grossing more than $16 million at T-Mobile Arena. While some notable names like Alex Pereira and Conor McGregor are nearing the end of their PPV careers with their contracts expiring soon, fighters like Ilia Topuria and Sean O’Malley still have plenty of PPVs left ahead of them. With major events like UFC 311 and 312 on the horizon, UFC’s future looks as promising as ever.

Though Dana White couldn’t break his records with UFC 310, one has to wonder: what will 2025 bring for the promotion? With the continued rise of emerging fighters, exciting matchups, and anniversary cards in the mix, the UFC’s revenue potential remains enormous. What do you think will happen next year?