Adesanya joins UFC pay debate as Zuffa Boxing purses draw scrutiny
UFC fighters weighing their own earning power against boxing-sized purses got a fresh jolt Wednesday at 3: 41 p. m. ET, when adesanya publicly weighed in on the reported $15 million Conor Benn deal and what it signals inside the broader Zuffa ecosystem. The remarks landed as TKO Group Holdings executives addressed growing criticism tied to Zuffa Boxing’s pay structure.
Israel Adesanya spotlights UFC fighter pay expectations after the Conor Benn number
adesanya, a former two-time middleweight champion, added his voice to a growing set of UFC fighters reacting to the reported scale of Zuffa Boxing payouts, particularly the figure attached to Conor Benn’s one-fight contract.
Speaking on his YouTube channel Wednesday, Adesanya framed his reaction around both the business momentum behind Zuffa Boxing and what it means for athletes who compete under the UFC banner. He referenced the UFC’s new broadcast deal with Paramount and suggested it may be shaping how Dana White and company are operating with Zuffa Boxing.
“Hey man, this whole Paramount thing is something, ” Adesanya said. “It’s something. But at the moment, we’re playing the cards we’re dealt. ”
Adesanya described Zuffa Boxing as a new outlet for the company’s leadership, while noting that the UFC has been central to the organization’s success. “We know these guys are top class boxers. They’re the best in the world at what they do, but so are we, ” he said, before adding: “So, I don’t feel jaded, but I’m like, I want $15 million for one fight, too!”
Still, he also made clear that kind of payday is not imminent for him. Adesanya is scheduled to face Joe Pyfer in the main event of UFC Seattle on March 28.
Mark Shapiro says TKO isn’t paying Conor Benn’s purse
While fighters have focused on the headline number attached to Benn’s reported deal, TKO Group Holdings president and chief operating officer Mark Shapiro used a quarterly financial call Wednesday to draw a line between the UFC’s parent ownership group and the costs of Zuffa Boxing’s marquee signings.
Shapiro said TKO is not “going out of pocket” for Benn’s reported purse. Instead, he said the financial backer covering the cost is SELA, described as a Saudi Arabia-led entertainment company headed by Turki Alalshikh.
Shapiro also stressed the scope of the agreement, saying Benn was signed for “just one fight, ” with the bout expected to take place in 2026. He did not confirm the $15 million figure, but referenced it while emphasizing that the payment would be handled by SELA.
On the same call, Shapiro described an ambition for Zuffa Boxing to build both a year-long series of fight cards that will appear exclusively on Paramount+ and a separate slate of “approximately two to four superfights per year. ” He compared Benn’s expected appearance to prior big-event models referenced on the call, including Canelo Alvarez vs. Terence Crawford.
Shapiro also said the effort to bring Benn into Zuffa Boxing was spearheaded by Dana White and Nick Khan.
Michael Conlan questions how Conor Benn left Eddie Hearn, even if the money is real
In boxing, the Benn move has triggered a parallel debate: not only about how much money is involved, but how the split with longtime promoter Eddie Hearn unfolded.
Belfast boxer Michael Conlan said Conor Benn may have done what was right for him financially by joining Zuffa Boxing, but argued the separation from Hearn “doesn’t seem he went about it the right way. ” Conlan is scheduled to face Kevin Walsh at Belfast’s SSE Arena on March 20.
Conlan described the decision as surprising because of how much support he believes Hearn gave Benn. Benn began his professional career with Hearn and boxed all 25 of his contests under the Matchroom banner, Conlan noted, including a rematch win over long-time rival Chris Eubank Jr last November.
Conlan also referenced Hearn’s claim that Benn was unwilling to take a call to discuss the situation. While Conlan said he does not “really care” about the promoter switch, he acknowledged why fighters would make that choice if the money was overwhelming. “I think he was wrong to do it but then he is getting paid stupid money, so fair play to him, ” Conlan said, while adding that there are “ways to go about things. ”
Promoter Kalle Sauerland, who was also in Belfast to promote Conlan’s March 20 bout, echoed the idea that career earnings drive these decisions, while downplaying “loyalty” as the defining factor in boxing business relationships. Sauerland said he understood the move from the perspective that Benn has “only got one career, ” while also acknowledging the emotional impact such a split can have.
What happens next for the broader pay debate will hinge on confirmed terms for Zuffa Boxing’s planned 2026 Benn superfight and whether UFC fighters see any contract or compensation changes tied to the Paramount-era business strategy; if Benn’s one-fight bout proceeds on the expected 2026 timeline, further financial details would likely emerge closer to the event.
