The world of combat sports has an intriguing tale to tell, especially when it comes to the financial rewards of its athletes. Despite the UFC's massive new deal, its fighters still lag behind in earnings compared to other sports.
Recently, Sportico released a list of the top 100 highest-paid athletes for 2025, and it's a revealing insight into the world of sports salaries. Soccer legend Cristiano Ronaldo topped the list with an impressive $260 million, a combination of his salary and endorsements. But here's where it gets controversial: when it comes to combat sports, boxing takes the lead.
Canelo Alvarez, a boxing superstar, claimed the second spot with earnings of $137 million in 2025, mostly from his contracted payouts and endorsement deals. And boxing's dominance continues with three more boxers making the top 30: Terence Crawford at No. 21, Naoya Inoue at No. 25, and the controversial Jake Paul at No. 30, all with earnings over $60 million.
The UFC, however, struggles to match these numbers. The athlete at No. 100, OG Anunoby of the New York Knicks, earned $37.9 million in 2025, a figure that many UFC fighters can only dream of. This disparity raises questions about the financial incentives in different sports.
Several lists of the highest-paid athletes are published annually, but often, the total earnings are estimates, making an exact comparison challenging. The UFC's Conor McGregor has made appearances on these lists, but his earnings are largely influenced by ventures outside the octagon, such as his whiskey brand sale.
With the UFC's new deal with Paramount+ doing away with pay-per-view, a significant source of income for top fighters, it remains to be seen if any UFC athlete will make the 2026 list. This shift could potentially widen the earnings gap between UFC fighters and athletes in other sports.
So, the question remains: Will the UFC's new deal change the financial landscape for its fighters? And how will this impact the sport's popularity and athlete retention? Feel free to share your thoughts and opinions in the comments below!
