World champion boxer Terence ‘Bud’ Crawford has become the latest in a long line of combat sports athletes to call out the UFC’s abysmal pay structure. In fact, hitting out at purses on offers to UFC combatants and the meagre bonuses offered by Dana White, the WBA super welterweight champion couldn’t help but laugh.
Crawford is set for his own blockbuster year in action. Expected to take on the WBA, WBC, and WBO super middleweight pugilist Canelo Alvarez this September, Crawford will look for victory in the dream pairing.
And in doing so, the 41-0 pugilist will hope to bag one of the biggest purses of his career. Canelo, himself is expected to make in the ballpark of $80-$100 million for the fight, so Crawford’s purse is also expected to be of a similar nature.
Given his war chest of loot obtained through fighting, Crawford is a reputable critic of the current UFC payment scheme. He even argued against the abysmal state of affairs in the UFC with former champion Kamaru Usman on the Pound-4-Pound podcast.
“Boxers get paid more than MMA,” Crawford explained. He claims that there was no comparison since a UFC fighter headlining The Sphere would get paid a couple of million dollars, which is less than what an undercard boxer on a big card would make.
“You show up, you get $50,000. Then you win, you get another $50,000. You get the Knockout of the Year, you get another $50,000. When I make it to the big leagues, when I’m on TV. I’m making more than you’re making when you come into the UFC“, he added, explaining the gravity of the situation.
Kamaru Usman and Terence Crawford get into a debate about UFC fighter pay:
Crawford: “You show up, you get $50K, you win you get another $50K, you get the knockout of the year, you get another $25K (laughs)”
@pound4poundshowpic.twitter.com/qdr7gfTMmm
— ACD MMA (@acdmma_) March 27, 2025
However, as passionate as Crawford’s words might have been, they are likely to fall on deaf ears as arguments about far compensation have for years now.
Dana White’s history amid Vakhitov negotiations
Following the culmination of this year’s Zuffa antitrust lawsuit, the books were opened on a host of high-profile UFC business dealings. Notably, the promotion continues to run a revenue share in the region of 19% with its combatants – a rather shameful figure, all things considered.
But as fighters manage to make rent money; reportedly netting a $20 million yearly salary, bossman Dana White has insisted the UFC is his to run whichever way he decides. To naysayers, the promotional leader has a clear message: make your own league. And furthermore, pay fighters whatever you desire.
“Fighter pay has gone through the roof since the sale in 2016,” White told Yahoo! Sports some years ago. “Fighter pay continues to go like this [pointing upward”, he had insisted.
However, this doesn’t seem to be all truthful. Case in point, this week, GLORY Kickboxing star, Artem Vakhitov opened up on his negotiations.
Fresh from a Contender Series win in October, the Russian- who also happens to be the last kickboxer to beat former light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira was offered a UFC deal.
But rejecting the financials, Vakhitov claimed the promotion was only willing to cough up a measly figure.
“Under their protocols, they were only able to offer me the standard contract given to all DWCS signings”, Vakhitov told reporters.
“My team tried to negotiate. But the UFC’s rules left no room for adjustments. I want to be clear that I don’t take issue with their approach—I respect their structure. But I am a prizefighter. And I have a family to support. I have a limited window to make the most of my career”, he explained.
At a time where PPV buys are said to be so low that the promotion isn’t able to keep its broadcasting parters- ESPN happy, it does seem counterproductive not to have stars of the caliber of Vakhitov signed to the organization.
