UFC fighters Michael "Venom" Page and Max Holloway have voiced frustration over fighter compensation following Zuffa Boxing's reported $15 million deal with boxer Conor Benn. Page highlighted the disparity by referencing former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou's financial struggles, while Holloway urged fighters to unite for better pay under the new broadcasting agreement. The signing has reignited debates on UFC pay structures amid increased bonuses from the $7.7 billion Paramount+ deal.
The discourse around UFC fighter pay intensified after Dana White and TKO's Zuffa Boxing signed Conor Benn, a 24-1 boxer, for a reported $15 million, prompting him to leave Matchroom and promoter Eddie Hearn. This move, announced around early March 2026, has drawn criticism from active UFC fighters who contrast it with their own earnings.
Michael "Venom" Page, who joined UFC in 2024 after leaving Bellator and has since recorded three wins and one loss in four fights, expressed disappointment during an interview on Sky Sports ahead of his March 21 bout against Sam Patterson. "It's just hurtful to see the money go that way," Page said, noting his fandom for Benn but questioning the boxer's top-level status. He cited Francis Ngannou, who defended his UFC heavyweight title against Ciryl Gane in 2022 before departing, as an example of inequities: Ngannou, a former champion, reportedly faced financial hardship and had to borrow money despite his achievements. Ngannou later boxed against Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua and signed with PFL. Page argued that such disparities tarnish the UFC brand and called for an "easy fix" by paying fighters what they deserve, without needing millions but addressing basic fairness.
Max Holloway, the current "BMF" titleholder headlining UFC 326 against Charles Oliveira at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on March 8, 2026, echoed these sentiments in a discussion with retired UFC flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson on Johnson's YouTube channel. Holloway described the $15 million figure as "crazy" and advised fighters to "know your worth" and "stick their neck out" for improved deals under the UFC's new seven-year, $7.7 billion Paramount+ broadcasting contract that began in 2026. This agreement raised performance bonuses to $100,000 and finish bonuses to $25,000. Holloway recalled his 2012 UFC debut against Dustin Poirier, where he earned $6,000 on the preliminary card, and criticized instances where fighters undercut each other, such as Jon Jones and Derrick Lewis declining high purses to fight Ngannou. "We cannot be doing that, brother," Holloway said, advocating unity: "You needed to almost stand in Jon’s corner. ‘Yeah, Jon, you deserve 10. Go get that 10.’"
Johnson reinforced this by sharing insights from retired UFC legend Georges St-Pierre, who lamented fighters putting each other down instead of banding together. Benn is set to make his Zuffa Boxing debut against Regis Prograis on Netflix, though reports differ on the date—April 11 per one account and April 26 per another.
