UFC heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall admitted he has “absolutely no idea” how the promotion’s groundbreaking media rights deal with Paramount will affect his compensation structure.
The UFC recently announced a massive $7.7 billion agreement with Paramount that will eliminate the traditional pay-per-view model starting in 2026, raising questions about how top-tier fighters who currently receive PPV points will be compensated under the new structure.
“This is absolutely breaking news to me. I’ve got no idea,” Aspinall candidly shared during an appearance on The Helwani Show when asked about the implications for fighters who receive PPV bonuses.
Unlike established PPV stars, Aspinall acknowledged he’s still building his profile in that arena. “See, guys like Ilya Topuria, etc., they are like established pay-per-view stars. I am not really a pay-per-view star yet,” said the heavyweight champion. “I’ve only fought pay-per-view a couple of times.”
The British fighter’s honest assessment highlights the uncertainty facing UFC athletes who typically earn significant portions of their income through PPV point structures, where they receive bonuses based on how many people purchase their events.
“So how does that work? I don’t know,” Aspinall continued, reflecting the confusion felt by many fighters regarding their future compensation.
The Paramount deal, which begins January 1, 2026, will move all UFC content to Paramount+ streaming service for a monthly subscription fee rather than the current model where fans pay separately for premium events. This fundamental shift in business model raises important questions about fighter pay structures.
Aspinall, who is scheduled to fight in Abu Dhabi, speculated that his upcoming bout might be one of his last under the current PPV system. “So this is probably my last pay-per-view fight, I would imagine,” he noted, unless he manages a quick turnaround for the December card.
Despite the uncertainty surrounding his future earnings, Aspinall maintained his characteristic optimism, stating that while he’s not currently “selling a million pay-per-views,” he certainly “intends to” as his career progresses.
The UFC has not yet publicly detailed how fighter compensation will be restructured once the PPV model is eliminated, leaving champions like Aspinall and other top-ranked fighters waiting for clarity on how their earnings will be calculated in this new era of UFC broadcasting.
