Ronda Rousey Publicly Criticizes UFC Fighter Pay

Former UFC champion calls out promotion's uneven pay scale during press event for her upcoming fight.

Apr. 16, 2026 at 2:27am

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An abstract, expressionist painting in neon colors depicting the dynamic motion and energy of two MMA fighters, conceptually representing the intense debates around fighter pay in the sport.Ronda Rousey's scathing critique of the UFC's fighter pay highlights the stark disparities in compensation that have long plagued the sport of MMA.Inglewood Today

Former UFC women's bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey didn't hold back in criticizing her former employer's fighter pay practices during a press event for her upcoming fight against Gina Carano under the Most Valuable Promotions banner. Rousey stated that the minimum payout for her upcoming event will be $40,000, which she says is much more than a living wage and something the UFC 'cannot say' about its own payouts.

Why it matters

Rousey's comments shine a light on the long-standing issue of uneven fighter pay in the UFC, where top stars can earn millions while entry-level fighters make as little as $12,000 to show. As a former champion and one of the biggest draws the UFC has ever seen, Rousey's criticism carries significant weight and could put more pressure on the promotion to address compensation disparities.

The details

During the press event, Rousey stated that the 'absolute minimum that anybody will walk away with, even if they don't have a big, long record, and even if they lose, is $40,000.' She added that if a fighter competes three times in a year at that minimum payout, 'that is much more than a living wage — and that is something that the UFC cannot say.' Rousey said she hopes her upcoming event can 'keep raising that ceiling higher and higher until it is on par with the highest-level boxers.'

  • Rousey's upcoming fight against Gina Carano is scheduled for next month at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California.

The players

Ronda Rousey

A former UFC women's bantamweight champion who is now promoting a fight against Gina Carano under the Most Valuable Promotions banner.

Gina Carano

An MMA pioneer who will be fighting Ronda Rousey next month in Rousey's upcoming event.

UFC

The largest mixed martial arts promotion in the world, which Rousey previously competed in and is now criticizing for its fighter pay practices.

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What they’re saying

“'One thing that I'm really proud of in this fight is the absolute minimum that anybody will walk away with, even if they don't have a big, long record, and even if they lose, is $40,000. And if you fight three times in a year, that is much more than a living wage — and that is something that the UFC cannot say.'”

— Ronda Rousey, Former UFC Champion

“'I hope after this event, we can keep raising that ceiling higher and higher until it is on par with the highest-level boxers because that is really where the holy grail for us is, and this is just the beginning.'”

— Ronda Rousey, Former UFC Champion

What’s next

Rousey's upcoming fight against Gina Carano is scheduled for next month at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California. It remains to be seen if Rousey's criticism of the UFC's fighter pay practices will lead to any changes within the promotion.

The takeaway

Ronda Rousey's public criticism of the UFC's uneven fighter pay scale, coming from a former champion and one of the promotion's biggest stars, shines a spotlight on a long-standing issue in the sport of MMA. Her comments highlight the stark disparity between the compensation of top fighters and entry-level competitors, and could put pressure on the UFC to address these pay inequities.