The fight card for UFC 309 last night featured many exciting matchups, showcasing impressive performances from several fighters. Notably, former UFC lightweight champion Charles Oliveira stood out, winning the Fight of the Night (FOTN) bonus. This achievement placed Oliveira in the UFC record books. However, his success has somehow sparked discussions about UFC fighter pay.
Over the years, the topic of UFC fighter pay has surfaced multiple times. UFC CEO Dana White, in particular, has faced significant scrutiny for offering his fighters relatively low salaries compared to other major promotions and sporting events worldwide. Despite this criticism, some UFC fighters have defended White against the backlash.
However, there are a few fighters, who have constantly poked the UFC CEO and berated him for paying low wages. Interestingly, this time itโs the fans who sparked discussions on this topic again. This comes after UFC lightweight fighter Charles Oliveiraโs exceptional performance against Michael Chandler at UFC 309 last night.
A MILLION DOLLAR MAN ๐ค
Charles Oliveira is the first fighter to win 20 fight bonuses in UFC history ๐ฐ #UFC309 pic.twitter.com/AJ7WfXfjqI
โ ESPN MMA (@espnmma) November 17, 2024
The Brazilian MMA fighter outclassed Chandler in every aspect of the fight. Although the American fighter had a few opportunities in the fifth round, Oliveira didnโt allow him to capitalize on them. As a result, the Brazilian emerged victorious and received the Fight of the Night bonus for his efforts.
This marked Charles Oliveiraโs 20th Performance Bonus, making him the first fighter in UFC history to achieve this milestone. Despite earning 20 fight bonuses, he made only about $1 million, a fact that many fight fans found quite unfair.
Fight fans react to Charles Oliveiraโs Performance Bonus record after UFC 309
Charles Oliveira is a veteran in the UFC. Throughout his illustrious career, the Brazilian fighter has defeated many formidable opponents, including veterans like Dustin Poirier and Justin Gaethje. His status in the promotion was further elevated when he became the UFC lightweight champion in 2021. Fast forward to 2024, and Oliveira delivered another masterful performance in his latest UFC outing.
Charles Oliveira brutally dismisses Michael Chandler and wins the Fight of the Night (FOTN) bonus [Image via UFC]Fight fans were thrilled with Oliveiraโs performance, but they expressed disappointment over the low fight night bonus he received. Many noticed that throughout his esteemed UFC career, the Brazilian fighter has consistently received relatively low bonuses despite his spectacular performances. Here are some reactions on the matter.
Embarrassingly low for 20 fights https://t.co/tdhtqnNjnG
โ Stephie Haynes (@CrooklynMMA) November 17, 2024
He could go box and lose and get 10x more than that ๐๐
โ matthew parsons (@mdotparsons) November 17, 2024
Jake Paul made $40M last night
โ King Phillip II (@KingPhillipIIII) November 17, 2024
ACA promotion in Chechnya also give 50k bonus. Just a reminder of how bad UFC pay is
โ Knockout of the day (@KOofTheDAY) November 17, 2024
Are we celebrating this? He should be making $1,000,000 MINIMUM just to show up to a press conference.
โ SimplyRob ๐บ๐ธ (@Justsimplyrob_) November 17, 2024
UFC pay remains ridiculous.
82/18 revenue split is a disgrace
โ Pena Cartel ๐ฟ (@PenaCartel) November 17, 2024
And heโs still severely under paid
โ tonio (@ANTONIOEESPARZA) November 17, 2024
Quite a pathetic amount of money all things considered
โ Rowan Carreira (@CarreiraRowan) November 17, 2024
He deserves 100x that for all he’s delivered in terms of excitement
โ Val Dewar (flyweight enjoyer) (@the3els) November 17, 2024
Jordan Love got a $500K bonus for winning ONE playoff game last year. fighter pay is actually robbery https://t.co/SJpNXRzJDW
โ creo๐ค๐ (@IAmCreo) November 17, 2024
Shits crazy because Jusuf Nurkic makes 18 million this year https://t.co/g9WdeWmkN5
โ ๐ป๐๐น๐๐๐ (@WfromDeBall) November 18, 2024
Messi gets half of this for waving to fans twice per game, football money is nuts https://t.co/S4e4PqPszw
โ neil (@fcbnilebagged) November 17, 2024
Many fight fans were dissatisfied with the UFC for paying a fighter like Oliveira comparatively low wages. Some fans pointed out that NBA player Jusuf Nurkic of the Phoenix Suns earns significantly more than an MMA fighter. Additionally, some fans highlighted the massive earnings of Inter Miami soccer star Lionel Messi, which are much higher than Oliveiraโs. The fighter pay debates remains as heated as ever.
