Although the center of each UFC fight is fixated upon the fighters, there is no denying that UFC referees play a vital role in each event.
UFC, being the biggest promoter of MMA fights, earns a lot in every fight. Therefore, it is a natural tendency to give back, not only to the fighters but also to their referees through extraordinary compensation.
Just like how UFC fighters are paid based on their popularity, the same factor is also considered among the referees. However, the main focus isn’t on popularity, but on the career level of each referee.
Now, let’s cut down to the chase, and see for ourselves how much pay each UFC Referees Earn.
The Average Payout
As you might’ve guessed, referees don’t receive a fixed salary for their day-to-day service. In fact, they are allowed to act as a referee in several promotions but obviously, working for UFC events will pay the most amount.
To add, they don’t earn their salary on a monthly basis, but on each and every fight they work on. The good thing is getting paid extra to call the big PPV fights and main events.
According to a source, the minimum wage a UFC Referees Earn is 250 dollars per fight – and from that point onwards, the pay increases as he becomes more seasoned. While most of these details are hidden, John McCarthy made $1,900 to call the clash between Jose Aldo and Conor McGregor.
Considering that UFC hosts a lot of events in a day, UFC Referees Earn a hefty amount of money daily.
The Professional Payout
UFC Referees Earn, particularly the ones who have already achieved the highest point of their professionalism, receive a base pay of almost two thousand dollars. These professional referees are match officials with over three to five years of experience in the cage.
As to say, they are already well-versed when it comes to UFC’s rules and regulations. And so, if their yearly earnings sum up to over four hundred thousand dollars, then it is surely a case of hard work paid off.
The Female Payout
Firstly, I’d say it is amazing how female referees aren’t stereotyped in any way inside the octagon. That being so, they are very much welcome to practice their expertise in this industry.
In terms of their base pay, the minimum amount they can get is less than five hundred dollars for each and every fight.
For your reference, let’s talk about the most famous woman official in the UFC – the mighty Kim Winslow. A whopping one thousand dollars is paid to her in each event she commits to.
To say the least, she had a very interesting career whose career kickstarted through Strikeforce. Perhaps one of the famous events she attended was the fight between Nick Osipczak and Frank Lester. As such, she was said to earn a pile of money in cash.
The best thing about her career is the inclusivity that follows thereafter. As she rose to fame, UFC became more open to accepting female referees in the future. In fact, any female referee who chooses to join the organization will automatically get one thousand dollars $1k per fight because of her advocacy.
The Entry-Level Payout
Just like any entry-level employee in any field, they typically earn the least amount of money. More or less, rookie referees earn a base pay of two hundred fifty dollars per fight.
To be frank, they don’t get as many matches as the other referees get, but they hold complete official duties for the under-card fights.
This is a very difficult level since they have to show off in each event just so they get contacted for more matches. But, at the end of the day, everyone starts from this level, right?
Final Words
A UFC referee’s role is not an easy job. Therefore, these people deserve to be properly compensated, just like the fighters.
So, if you are a UFC fanatic and would want to work for the organization without having the need to receive kicks and so on, then perhaps you should consider this one instead.
Overall, the work of a UFC referee is more than just peeking or watching how the fight goes. They scrutinize the fighters’ actions, call out illegal executions, and finally help in ensuring a fair and non-dirty match.
