UFC makes massive changes to bonus structure for Paramount era

The UFC has increased the size of its post-fight bonuses, and will also reward fighters who score finishes in their fights.

Saturday night’s UFC 324 card will be the MMA promotion’s first of 2026, and its first on Paramount, its new broadcast home. Ahead of the event, there has been significant speculation about whether the bonuses it awards its fighters for their performances would increase.

It turns out, they will — in a significant way.

Until now, the UFC’s standard bonuses have been worth $50,000. Typically, the promotion has awarded four bonuses per card: two for each fighter involved in the Fight of the Night, and two Performance of the Night bonuses for the card’s most impressive winners.

As of UFC 324, that figure will double — so fighters will now receive $100,000 instead of $50,000 when they earn a bonus (via Sports Business Journal).

UFC doubles bonuses — and rewards finishes

The new $100,000 bonuses are not the only change the UFC is making.

UFC is officially increasing its bonuses:

Per SBJ, the bonuses are increasing from 50k to 100k. So going up from 200k a night to 400k (2 performance winners + 2 fight of the night winners).

In addition, anyone who doesn’t win a “of the night” bonus but stops their opponent…

— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) January 24, 2026

The promotion is also set to award $25,000  to every fighter who scores a finish but doesn’t receive a traditional bonus. The hope, obviously, is that this will encourage fighters to be more aggressive, and rely less on stalling tactics and control time.

Saturday’s UFC 324 card will be headlined by an interim lightweight title fight between Justin Gaethje and Paddy Pimblett. In the co-headliner, Sean O’Malley will fight Song Yadong at bantamweight. The card will also feature a heavyweight fight between Derrick Lewis and Waldo Cortes-Acosta. The main card will be kicked off by a flyweight fight between Rose Namajunas and Natalia Silva, and a featherweight fight between Arnold Allen and Jean Silva.

Expect plenty of finishes and impressive performances with so much more money to be won.