UFC unveils extra $1 million in fighter bonuses for White House event

The 14 fighters competing at June’s UFC White House event just got a little more incentive to perform.

An extra $1 million in post-fight bonuses are slated to be handed out for the historic card, the promotion announced Saturday during UFC 327’s main card broadcast.

UFC commentator Jon Anik stated that the extra bonus money, which is apparently meant to celebrate of UFC sponsor Crypto.com’s 10th anniversary, could all go to one fighter on the card or be split among several, depending on how the night plays out.

The UFC’s customary post-fight bonuses were standardized to $50,000 in 2014 until earlier this year, when they doubled to $100,000 following the start of the company’s $7.7 billion broadcast deal with Paramount. Prior to 2014, the bonuses varied on an event-to-event basis, with many being more than $50,000 and some reaching as high as $75,000.

On rare occasions, UFC CEO Dana White has been convinced to raise the value of post-fight bonuses for a one-off event, such as the $300,000 bonuses awarded for the UFC's tricentennial event in 2024, UFC 300. Yet the UFC boss has also bristled over the years at the notion of permanently raising the baseline bonus compensation. In July 2024, after a UFC 304 pay-per-view heavy on decision outcomes, a furious White vowed never to be pressured into raising the bonuses for a one-off event again.

UFC’s usual bonuses tend to cover two Performance of the Night checks and two Fight of the Night checks, though that can often change depending on the promotion’s whims.

The UFC’s White House event — officially named UFC Freedom 250 — is set to unfold June 14 on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, D.C. The card is headlined by two title fights: UFC lightweight champion Ilia Topuria vs. interim champion Justin Gaethje, and Alex Pereira vs. Ciryl Gane for the interim heavyweight belt.

A seventh fight was added to card Saturday night, as Josh Hokit will now take on Derrick Lewis on the South Lawn following Hokit’s big upset of Curtis Blaydes at UFC 327.

The card’s full lineup can be seen below:

• Lightweight championship: Ilia Topuria vs. Justin Gaethje
• Interim heavyweight championship: Alex Pereira vs. Ciryl Gane
• Bantamweight: Sean O'Malley vs. Aiemann Zahabi
• Lightweight: Mauricio Ruffy vs. Michael Chandler
• Middleweight: Bo Nickal vs. Kyle Daukaus
• Featherweight: Diego Lopes vs. Steve Garcia
• Heavyweight: Josh Hokit vs. Derrick Lewis