Sean O’Malley has never been shy about discussing fighter pay, but the latest maneuver in combat sports has left the former UFC bantamweight champion stunned. Over the weekend, the mixed martial arts and boxing communities were rocked by the news that Zuffa Boxing made a big splash, signing British sensation Conor Benn away from Matchroom Boxing.
The deal is reportedly a one-fight contract and is worth up to $15 million. The unprecedented figure immediately highlighted the glaring pay disparity between top-level boxers and the UFC roster, prompting a surprised reaction from one of mixed martial arts’ biggest stars.
On his YouTube channel O’Malley admitted that he could barely process the magnitude of the reported contract, especially because he was completely unfamiliar with the boxer receiving the huge payout.
“For me, it’s very hard to believe. I saw it, I heard it, I’ve been told. Tim said to me, ‘Did you see that?’ That doesn’t mean it’s true. I don’t know. This may absolutely be true. I can’t imagine this being true. Zuffa Boxing, they’re paying – I don’t even know who Conor Benn is! Supposedly he’s a huge name in boxing, but I’ve never heard of him.
The frustration was evident as O’Malley, who has spent years delivering highlight-reel knockouts, found himself comparing his compensation to that of a boxer who has yet to win a world title. Historically, the revenue split in combat sports has heavily favored boxers, who take home the majority of the revenue generated from their events, while UFC fighters collectively receive about 20 percent.
Despite this structural difference, it was jarring to see a newly formed promotion banner like Zuffa Boxing throw eight-figure sums at a single athlete.
Sean O’Malley calls Conor Benn’s Zuffa contract ‘insane’
“If they really paid him $15 million, it’s crazy how you put in so much work in the UFC to build this name, build this character, become this star, and I’m not making $15 million for a fight. But this is also a business. If they think it’s a good business move and the guy will bring in money, I get it. I don’t take anything personal in business. Business is business.”
While O’Malley acknowledged the cold nature of the fight business, he also offered a theory that there may be deeper personal motivations behind the astronomical offer. The well-documented animosity between UFC CEO Dana White and rival boxing promoters like Oscar De La Hoya and Eddie Hearn is no secret. According to O’Malley, Zuffa Boxing’s financial strength is being used as a weapon to undermine the traditional boxing establishment.
“Zuffa boxing is something that came from Türkiye [Alsheikh]. So, if that’s the case, Turkey and Dana are in it, and Dana really wants to do it because he hates Oscar De La Hoya, he hates Eddie Hearn, he hates these guys. He says, ‘Hey, let’s take their biggest star and pay him, even if it’s $15 million.’ I could see it as an ego thing.”
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