Michael Chandler gives his thoughts on new TV deal’s impact on fighter pay

UFC fighter Michael Chandler has given his thoughts on how the promotion’s new TV deal could impact fighter pay.

For the longest time now, Michael Chandler has been a good soldier for the Ultimate Fighting Championship. He’ll take any fight, and he’ll go out there and try to put on an absolute masterclass. Even in defeat, he’s been responsible for some fascinating encounters that often end in him receiving some kind of bonus.

RELATED: Dana White reveals bonuses will increase due to new Paramount TV deal

Recently, the UFC announced a new TV deal with Paramount that will see the bonus figures increase. That’ll certainly impact Chandler and the rest of the UFC roster, even though some fighters are feeling a bit more negative towards the whole thing.

Michael Chandler is optimistic about fighter pay ahead of the Paramount x UFC deal:

“There’s a lot more money being happening inside of the UFC than the UFC will ever gloat about, than the UFC will ever brag about. That’s just the way that they like it. A lot of us are doing… pic.twitter.com/K69Q5m4Hum

— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) August 12, 2025

Chandler’s view on UFC fighter pay

“I think the UFC is a lot more fair than people give them credit for,” Chandler explained on “The Ariel Helwani Show.” “That’s what I would say. I think there’s going to be public pressure, there’s going to be corporate pressure, there’s going to be media pressure when you sign a deal of this magnitude. I do think so. I’m sure the phone has rung off the hook. Managers are calling, fighters are calling, ‘Hey, you’re signing billions of dollars a year per deal. I want to renegotiate my contract.’

“Things take time. This thing just got announced a little over 24 hours ago. Let a little of the dust to settle. Everybody worry about the thing they can control, which is taking care of themselves right now and training right now, but ultimately I think this is nothing but good for the sport for everybody involved.

“I think the fighters ultimately just like 30 years into the NFL, just like 30 years into the MLB, just like 30 years into every major sport, the money will continue to grow, but it can’t just grow overnight. So a little bit of patience.

“The best thing you can do for yourself is make yourself an indispensable asset to your promoter, making yourself a indispensable asset to the people that have put money behind you when it comes to endorsements, when it comes to getting on microphones, when it comes to using your platform, when it comes to building a fan base oust die of just punching people in the face in a cage.

“And if you can do that, and you can do it with class and integrity, the money will continue to multiply.”

Quotes via MMA Junkie