The UFC remains the dominant force in MMA due to its business model, while other promotions like PFL and GFL struggle to find sustainable success despite offering generous fighter payouts and innovative formats, with critics like Matt Brown questioning their long-term viability.
MMA, a sport with grueling competition and fierce fighters, has long struggled to gain traction unless it’s under the UFC banner. Many have tried—Strikeforce, PRIDE, WEC, Affliction—but none have truly succeeded in capturing a sustainable market share. The PFL, after acquiring Bellator in 2023, seems to have secured the No. 2 spot. Yet, not all is smooth sailing; high-profile fighters like Patricio Pitbull and Patchy Mix are asking for releases due to inactivity.
Retired UFC welterweight Matt Brown believes these promotions lack solid business plans for long-term success. He points out that organizations like the PFL claim to put fighters first by offering massive paydays—$1 million per weight class annually—but questions if this approach is viable. "There’s only been one truly successful fight promotion in history—the UFC," Brown said on The Fighter vs. The Writer. They didn’t rise by pampering fighters.
Brown reflects on the UFC’s rocky past, noting they once went $40 million into debt after the Fertitta brothers bought it for $2 million. Just when closure seemed imminent, The Ultimate Fighter reality show gained popularity, turning events into must-see TV. Fast forward to 2016, and the UFC sold to Endeavor for over $4 billion. Now, combined with WWE, it’s valued at $21.4 billion.
Despite record revenues post-pandemic and lucrative broadcast deals on the horizon, the UFC faces criticism over fighter pay. Financial disclosures from ongoing antitrust lawsuits reveal fighters earn just 16-20% of revenue. In contrast, major sports leagues like the NFL and NBA offer players 50% through collective bargaining agreements—a luxury MMA lacks.
Brown admires the PFL’s financial generosity but doubts its sustainability. "To be honest, I’m not sure how they’ve existed this far," he muses about their acquisition of Bellator and supposed standing as a close second to the UFC. It’s basically UFC and then everyone else.
Enter Global Fight League (GFL) with a team-based format launching in 2025, promising a 50/50 revenue split with athletes and added perks like insurance and retirement benefits. Sounds great on paper, yet Brown remains skeptical about its success or viability.
He criticizes GFL’s team format: "You’re just f*cking up." Fans care about stars and drama, not city-based fight teams—a lesson past promotions like IFL learned the hard way. As much as Brown wants fighters to have options beyond boxing’s current model, he doubts any new plan will work without substantial backing.
"Most big promotions started small and took years to build," Brown points out. Unless you’re backed by Saudi-level wealth throwing millions around for fun fights, starting from the top seems impossible.
Curious how these numbers add up? So is Brown. He’d love a peek at those accountants’ books to see where it all makes sense in MMA’s complex world.
Listen to new episodes of The Fighter vs. The Writer every Tuesday on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and iHeartRadio for more insights!