PFL vs. UFC: Difference in fighter pay broken down as PFL continues signing top stars with massive deals

Former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou was embroiled in a contract dispute with the organization which culminated with him parting ways with the premier MMA organization. Following his exit, Ngannou signed a lucrative deal with the Professional Fighters League (PFL).

Ngannou will pocket a split of the profits directly from his PFL fights and will also have the ability to have his own sponsorship deals spotlighted in the cage. 'The Predator' will make a whopping seven-figure purse for each bout and will also have the freedom to pursue boxing bouts (Ngannou is set to fight Tyson Fury on October 28).

Jake Paul, who has been at loggerheads with the UFC, signed with PFL earlier this year in a bid to make his MMA debut under the promotion. 'The Problem Child' has been vocal about the unjust treatment that fighters have to endure from the top brass in the UFC.

Esteemed athletes associated with the PFL, including prominent figures like Francis Ngannou, and Jake Paul, and women's boxing champions Claressa Shields and Amanda Serrano, are set to feature prominently in the PFL pay-per-view series. This entails that they will automatically be entitled to a share of the pay-per-view earnings.

According to unofficial reports, Jake Paul will pocket around $2 million to $5 million from the contract with the PFL. Meanwhile, Ngannou, who made about $600,000 in his last fight in the world's premier MMA organization against Ciryl Gane, will earn a lucrative seven-figure purse for each fight in the PFL, with a minimum salary as high as $1 million for his opponent.

While popular fighters like Israel Adesanya and Jon Jones earn nearly comparable figures to the notable stars within PFL, a revelation from earlier this year has brought to attention the financial disparity within the sport. Alexandre Pantoja, the newly crowned flyweight champion, was reportedly working as an Uber Eats driver to make ends meet while simultaneously competing as a ranked title contender.

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PFL vs. UFC: When Cedric Doumbe snubbed the Ultimate Fighting Championship's modest offer for a lucrative PFL contract

French kickboxer Cedric Doumbe snubbed the Ultimate Fighting Championship and inked a lucrative deal with the Professional Fighters League (PFL) earlier this year, effectively putting an end to months of speculation regarding his next move.

Doumbe's highly anticipated debut on the inaugural UFC Paris card in September 2022 was derailed by a French commission regulation that precluded fighters with fewer bouts from facing opponents with a four-bout advantage.

The kickboxer finally decided to join PFL with a substantial financial benefit. While the UFC had offered Doumbe a base pay contract of $20,000 to show and $20,000 to win, PFL put forth an impressive $140,000 per fight agreement.

In a revealing YouTube video, Doumbe cited the enticing financial package as the driving force behind his choice, shedding light on the Ultimate Fighting Championship's reluctance to provide newcomers with substantial pay raises.

Catch Doumbe's comments below (8:00):