YouTube video by The Heel Hookers

YouTube video by The Heel Hookers

YouTube video by The Heel Hookers

When two fighters beg their promoter for a $50,000 bonus on live TV, the alarm bells should ring far beyond the Octagon. Saturday night’s UFC Vegas 111 offered a brutal reminder of the financial realities behind the glitz of the world’s biggest combat sports brand—and a stark warning for boxers tempted by the rise of corporate-run “league” models. Lightweight Chris Padilla and welterweight Uros Medic both delivered emphatic TKO victories, yet neither left Las Vegas with the $50,000 “Performance of the Night” bonus they desperately pleaded for in their post-fight interviews. Instead, the UFC handed out four separate performance awards to other fighters—leaving Padilla, who revealed his mother currently lives in a trailer, and Medic, who claimed he’s been overlooked for multiple knockouts, empty-handed. Fans were furious. “Nights like these should have extra bonuses,” one wrote. “Medic and Padilla were more than deserving.” Another added, “They hate it when you ask for a bonus. Medic and Padilla robbed.” Professional Fighters Pleading for Pay The emotional appeals from Padilla and Medic highlight a broader issue now impossible to ignore. Even top UFC stars are publicly admitting that the pay structure leaves many “fighting at a loss.” Lightweight contender Arman Tsarukyan—a fighter once slated to challenge for the world title—recently revealed he takes home about $300,000 to win or $150,000 to lose, before paying 30% in taxes, 5% to his gym, 5% to his coach, and 15% to his manager. “You prepare for two or three months and end up at zero,” Tsarukyan said on his YouTube channel. “In general, you’re kind of fighting at a loss most of the time. If not for sponsorships, I’d barely be earning anything.” His comments confirm what many MMA fighters have whispered for years: the UFC’s revenue structure is heavily skewed toward the promoters, not the athletes. Holyfield’s Warning Comes True Boxing legend Evander Holyfield recently warned that this exact system could soon infiltrate boxing through proposed changes to the Muhammad Ali Boxing Reform Act—the very law designed to prevent promoter exploitation. In a Wall Street Journal op-ed, Holyfield said the push to rewrite the Ali Act is being led not by boxers, but by corporate promoters linked to TKO Group Holdings, the parent company of UFC and WWE. “The loudest voices pushing for this rewrite aren’t boxers but the promoters of mixed martial arts—the people who made ‘business first, fighters last’ a mega-sport,” Holyfield said. He pointed out that MMA fighters earn around 20% of total sports revenue, compared to up to 80% in boxing under the current Ali Act. “Flip that math and you see the play,” Holyfield warned. “Fighters lose, promoters win.” A Glimpse of the Future? If the proposed TKO-backed boxing leagues become a reality, boxers could find themselves in the same position as Padilla, Medic, and Tsarukyan—dependent on discretionary bonuses or sponsor goodwill to survive. The promoter, not the fighter, would control the belts, rankings, and revenue. That’s why Holyfield and WBC President Mauricio Sulaimán have spoken out, calling boxing’s decentralized system—where independent sanctioning bodies maintain checks and balances—a vital safeguard for the athlete’s freedom. Sulaimán warned: “In boxing, we preserve the athlete’s voice and freedom. The moment we hand full control to corporations, the fighter loses everything.” A Warning for the Sport The images from UFC Vegas 111—fighters begging for a basic performance bonus after risking their health—are not just a human story; they’re a flashing red light for boxing. As legislative talks over the “Muhammad Ali American Boxing Revival Act” continue in Washington, the message from Holyfield, Tsarukyan, and Saturday’s bonus-hungry fighters could not be clearer: When the promoter owns everything, fighters own nothing. And if boxing ever trades its freedom for a paycheck, it may find itself pleading for bonuses too. About the Author Phil Jay is a veteran boxing journalist with over 15 years of experience covering the global fight scene. As Editor-in-Chief of World Boxing News (WBN) since 2010, Jay has interviewed dozens of world champions and reported ringside on boxing’s biggest nights. View all articles by Phil Jay and learn more about his work in combat sports journalism. Stay Ahead in Boxing News Subscribe to the free WBN Newsletter for trusted updates, exclusive interviews, and fight analysis delivered daily. Join the World Boxing News WhatsApp Channel or follow WBN on Linktree.

YouTube video by The Heel Hookers

YouTube video by The Heel Hookers