UFC revenue by year tells one of the most important stories in professional sports — a promotion that doubled its revenue in under a decade while its entry-level fighter pay remained essentially unchanged.
Here are the verified numbers, sourced directly from SEC filings, TKO Group Holdings financial reports, and Endeavor Group Holdings disclosures.
UFC Revenue by Year: The Complete Picture
| Year | Total Revenue | Key Driver | Entry-Level Fighter Pay |
| 2016 | $690 million | Endeavor acquisition year | $10,000/$10,000 |
| 2017 | ~$700 million | International expansion | $10,000/$10,000 |
| 2018 | $772 million | ESPN deal signed | $10,000/$10,000 |
| 2019 | $935 million | ESPN deal active | $12,000/$12,000 |
| 2020 | $891 million | COVID — no gate revenue | $12,000/$12,000 |
| 2021 | $1.032 billion | First $1B year | $12,000/$12,000 |
| 2022 | $1.140 billion | TKO merger year | $12,000/$12,000 |
| 2023 | $1.292 billion | 13% growth | $12,000/$12,000 |
| 2024 | $1.406 billion | All-time record | $12,000/$12,000 |
Sources: TKO Group Holdings Form 10-K FY2024 (SEC filing); Endeavor Group Holdings Form S-1 (SEC filing); Wrestlenomics UFC financial analysis; Tifosy Capital UFC revenue report.
Note: 2016 and 2017 figures are estimates based on Endeavor S-1 disclosures. 2018-2024 figures are from official SEC filings and financial reports.
Where the Money Comes From
UFC revenue breaks down into four primary streams. Here’s what each generated in 2024, sourced directly from TKO Group Holdings’ Form 10-K filed with the SEC:
| Revenue Stream | 2024 | 2023 | % of Total |
| Media rights and content | $879.4 million | $870.6 million | 63% |
| Sponsorship | $251.4 million | $196.3 million | 18% |
| Live events | $220.4 million | $167.9 million | 16% |
| Consumer products licensing | $55.0 million | $57.4 million | 4% |
| TOTAL | $1.406 billion | $1.292 billion | 100% |
Source: TKO Group Holdings Form 10-K, December 31, 2024, filed with the SEC.
The ESPN Deal That Changed Everything
The single biggest revenue inflection point in UFC history was the ESPN deal signed in 2018 and activated in 2019. UFC revenue jumped from $772 million in 2018 to $935 million in 2019 — a $163 million increase in a single year — driven almost entirely by the new domestic media rights contract.
The ESPN deal replaced the old pay-per-view model for domestic broadcast rights with a fixed annual fee. This eliminated revenue volatility for the UFC — guaranteed income regardless of how many PPV buys any individual event generated — while providing ESPN with exclusive live UFC content for its streaming platform.
For fighters, the ESPN deal had a specific consequence: it removed the PPV points mechanism that had provided elite fighters with their largest single source of income beyond their base purse. Fighters like Conor McGregor, who had generated hundreds of millions of dollars in PPV revenue, suddenly had no direct share of the broadcast rights income that replaced it.
Entry-level fighter pay: still $12,000 to show and $12,000 to win. The same in 2024 as in 2019 when the ESPN deal activated.
The TKO Merger and What It Means
In September 2023, Endeavor Group Holdings merged UFC with WWE to create TKO Group Holdings, a publicly traded company on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker TKO. The combined entity reported $1.674 billion in total revenue in 2023 — UFC contributing $1.292 billion and WWE contributing $382 million for the partial year since the merger closed.
In 2024, TKO Group Holdings reported $2.804 billion in combined revenue — UFC at $1.406 billion and WWE at $1.398 billion.
The public company structure means UFC financials are now disclosed quarterly in SEC filings. This is how the revenue figures in this post are verified — not estimated, not reported secondhand, but pulled directly from official financial documents filed with federal regulators.
The New Paramount Deal
The UFC’s current broadcast deal with Paramount+ replaced the ESPN arrangement in January 2026. The deal is reportedly worth $7.7 billion over multiple years — significantly larger than the ESPN contract it replaced.
The full financial impact of the Paramount deal will appear in TKO Group Holdings’ 2026 annual report. What is already clear: the UFC’s media rights revenue in 2026 will substantially exceed the $879 million it generated in 2024 under the ESPN deal.
For fighters: the entry-level purse remains $12,000 to show and $12,000 to win. Court documents cited in coverage of the ongoing antitrust litigation — covering 2017 to the present — confirmed that the starting wage has not meaningfully increased in a decade.
Revenue Growth vs Fighter Pay: The Gap in Numbers
| 2016 | 2024 | |
| UFC Annual Revenue | $690 million | $1.406 billion (+104%) |
| Entry-Level Show Money | $10,000 | $12,000 (+20%) |
| Entry-Level Win Bonus | $10,000 | $12,000 (+20%) |
| Fighter Revenue Share | ~16% | ~15-18% |
| NFL Player Revenue Share | ~47% | ~48% |
UFC revenue doubled between 2016 and 2024. Entry-level fighter pay increased 20%. The fighter revenue share percentage stayed essentially flat.
That gap — between revenue growth and compensation growth — is the central argument in the ongoing antitrust litigation and the reason organizations like the Mixed Martial Arts Athletes Association have repeatedly called for collective bargaining rights for UFC fighters.
The Bottom Line
UFC revenue grew from $690 million in 2016 to $1.406 billion in 2024 — a 104% increase over eight years. The promotion crossed $1 billion in annual revenue for the first time in 2021 and has grown every year since.
The fighters whose performances generate that revenue receive approximately 15-18% of it, according to evidence presented in the antitrust litigation. Entry-level pay has increased by $2,000 per fight over that same period.
The numbers don’t require editorial comment. They speak for themselves.
For more on how UFC fighter pay works at every tier, see our complete UFC fighter pay guide at themmalife.org/ufc-fighter-pay/ and our breakdown of the UFC antitrust settlement at themmalife.org/ufc-antitrust-settlement/
FAQ
How much revenue does the UFC make per year?
The UFC generated $1.406 billion in revenue in 2024 — an all-time record and the fourth consecutive year of growth. This is sourced directly from TKO Group Holdings’ Form 10-K filed with the SEC for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2024.
When did the UFC first make $1 billion in revenue?
The UFC crossed $1 billion in annual revenue for the first time in 2021, generating $1.032 billion. Revenue has grown every year since, reaching $1.406 billion in 2024.
What is the UFC’s biggest source of revenue?
Media rights and content is the UFC’s largest revenue stream, generating $879.4 million in 2024 — approximately 63% of total revenue. This includes domestic and international broadcast rights deals. Sponsorship is second at $251.4 million (18%), followed by live events at $220.4 million (16%).
How does UFC revenue compare to fighter pay?
UFC fighters receive approximately 15-18% of UFC revenue, according to evidence presented in the antitrust litigation. The entry-level purse is $12,000 to show and $12,000 to win — unchanged since 2019 despite UFC revenue growing from $935 million to $1.406 billion over that period. For comparison, NFL players receive approximately 48% of league revenue through their collective bargaining agreement.
Who owns the UFC and how is revenue reported?
The UFC is owned by TKO Group Holdings, a publicly traded company on the NYSE (ticker: TKO) formed through the merger of Endeavor’s UFC and WWE in September 2023. UFC revenue is reported quarterly and annually in SEC filings, making it one of the most transparently documented sports promotions in the world.