The Fight for Fair Pay: Alexandre Pantoja's Double Life as a UFC Fighter and Uber Eats Driver

In the glitzy world of mixed martial arts (MMA) and the UFC, where champions are idolized and lucrative contracts are celebrated, a startling truth often goes unnoticed—the financial struggles faced by many fighters. 

The latest example to shed light on this issue is Alexandre Pantoja, who found himself behind the wheel of an Uber Eats vehicle to make ends meet, as little as two fights prior to winning the flyweight title at UFC 290.

Pantoja revealed the fact on the July 10 episode of "The MMA Hour", telling Ariel Helwani:

"After the pandemic, after my fight with Manel [Kape]. ...In the pandemic my family [moved] back to Brazil because [I couldn't take care of them in the US], I come back to US again alone. Eight months without my family.

"That's very hard for me, you know? Sometimes --- I don't know if I can [be a dad again]. ... [It's a big sacrifice for me]. I won the fight with Manel, I put all the money in the down payment for that house and bring my family back, it is more important than myself.

"When my family came back, the money [was] short, you know? My wife start to clean houses and I start to drive Uber. [I'd] do this again if I need, you know? Because it's not just about myself, this is about my family.

"...I drive Uber, I did some Jiu-Jitsu tournaments to help, and after the fight with [Brandon] Royval, one week before that fight I'm delivering Uber Eats."

Pantoja shared that the bonus he received from his fight against Royval was a game-changer, enabling him to unwind and approach his training with utmost dedication. It's truly surprising to hear "The Cannibal" speak about financial difficulties, especially when he was ranked No.5 at flyweight against Kape, and No.3 against Brandon Royval, all whilst driving Uber Eats to make ends meet.

The fact that Pantoja couldn't earn sufficient income, as a top five ranked fighter in the UFC, to provide for himself and his family is a heartbreaking situation and it exposes the dire fighter pay structure the UFC currently upholds.

In a report by Bloody Elbow, it was revealed that fighter revenue share actually dropped from roughly 17-18% in 2022, to an estimated 13-14.5% in 2023. For perspective, the UFC made a record $387 million in profits in 2022 alone, which is likely more than every other MMA organization and boxing promotion combined for that time period. 

As of 2022, the UFC's minimum per fight salary is $12,000, with a win bonus of a further $12,000. Even the PFL, a much smaller organization, grants a 50% revenue share on fighter PPV fights, which is the closest an MMA organization has come to the 50/50 split of major players like the NFL, NBA, and MBL.

In order to maintain its status as the premier global platform for MMA, the UFC must prioritize providing its fighters with a fairer portion of its staggering profits. Neglecting to do so not only risks creating space for other promotions to emerge and offer more equitable opportunities to talented fighters, but it also undermines the UFC's own claim to be the pinnacle of the sport.