The Decline of UFC’s Monopolistic Grip? Jon Jones Retires, Ngannou and many others gone, and a Shifting MMA Landscape

[Jawth]

PFL is losing all of their best Bellator guys to UFC, UFC is still obviously top dog in talent magnetism.

 

[sph1nx]

Solid, mate. Solid.

The right mouth... especially one that isn't Dana's... in the ear of the right Saudi (pick any random multi-billionaire), changes the fight game, just like Dana did with Frank and Lorenzo 25 years ago.

The UFC is staggeringly expensive to be a fan of now, and you would have to be dumb as a bag of rocks to not see that the current product being delivered is in serious decline and will only continue to get more expensive.

We have come full-circle, and the UFC has become the same "enemy" that Frank and Lorenzo tasked Dana with overcoming 25 years ago. A talent-agency buying a sporting organzation was pretty much the writing on the wall as far as the UFC continuing to operate as if they were running a serious sport.

Dana and the UFC really were game-changers, which makes it all the more disheartening to see the state of the UFC right now. I have been a fight fan since long before the UFC even existed. I put my first Gi on in 1979, and people nowadays have no idea how difficult is was to be a hard-core fight fan in the '80s to watch shit.

Some houses you reno. Some houses you knock down and start over.

Honestly, any top 10-15 fighter should ONLY be signing one-fight deals and testing themselves on the free-agent market every single fight. If all the best fighters started doing that, it breaks the UFC's stranglehold on talent and maybe us real fight fans can start seeing the fights we want to see.

and when fighters will realize they can fight outside the ufc whenever they want, usa laws doesnt apply in other continents

ufc contracts are also illegal, GSP could had have all the fights he wanted if he really wanted to fight these years

A lot of wishful I hate dana logic in this thread..

The competition is weaker than ever .. Strikeforce Bellator WEC actually got views.... Ive never seen a PFL or had anyone ever ask me about it...

from fighter's perspective its not about hating Dana personally, it's about business and having a proper income as a fighter especially when the profits of the company i work "with" as an indepent contractor are not proportional with wages and benefits

 

[gspieler]

I mostly agree with TS on this. I would speculate UFC has tried to keep the smaller business model tactics/strategies that allowed the owners to maintain all of the wealth/power in the sport, while trying to create the perception of being an org on par with the major sports leagues. But to grow, you have to invest, and likely make some concessions. We're witnessing the results now.

 

[sph1nx]

I mostly agree with TS on this. I would speculate UFC has tried to keep the smaller business model tactics/strategies that allowed the owners to maintain all of the wealth/power in the sport, while trying to create the perception of being an org on par with the major sports leagues. But to grow, you have to invest, and likely make some concessions. We're witnessing the results now.

i'd say was pretty much evident the whole time, no need to speculate

these insights are not very understood by the general fans tho, they are just happy to see the blood but the business side of fighting is actually more complicated and brutal than the actual fighting

fighters are right to bitch about many things, "the kid just doesnt want to fight" is just a ridiculization, an excuse of the status quo

 

[skylolow]

I think we are heading down the road most major sports have gone through. Athletes eventually want their fair share of the revenue and start to head down the path of an association/union or both depending on what a judge would rule. Maybe this new media deal will finally push this boulder over the edge. A lot of these gripes and issues come from the UFC's brass long standing power over the fighters.

If some of that power shifts it can be great thing for everyone. Fighters, will have better pay/rights. UFC will be even more focused on making more money to make back what they lost. Fans, it should give us better cards and maybe clean up messes like what we got with Francis and Jones vs Tom. Just in general the guidelines between the fighters and UFC should be more streamed line and better understanding for all parties.

 

[LostMyBlackBelt]

You will watch little Muslims wrestle and LIKE IT!

 

[PeterGriffin]

i'd say was pretty much evident the whole time, no need to speculate

these insights are not very understood by the general fans tho, they are just happy to see the blood but the business side of fighting is actually more complicated and brutal than the actual fighting

fighters are right to bitch about many things, "the kid just doesnt want to fight" is just a ridiculization, an excuse of the status quo

To be fair... GSP spent a couple years telling everyone he was ready to go while Dana was beaking off to anyone and everyone saying GSP didn't want to fight.

It would be hilarious to find out Mr. Nice Guy/longtime company man GSP deliberatley fucked Dana over in the end with that MW title shot cherry-pick. That would really stick in Dana's craw for the rest of his life, and that couldn't happen to a nicer promoter.

It is funny that even though Dana always tried fucking GSP over, Georges did inevitably get the upper hand.

 

[Pancake Sprawl]

To be fair... GSP spent a couple years telling everyone he was ready to go while Dana was beaking off to anyone and everyone saying GSP didn't want to fight.

It would be hilarious to find out Mr. Nice Guy/longtime company man GSP deliberatley fucked Dana over in the end with that MW title shot cherry-pick. That would really stick in Dana's craw for the rest of his life, and that couldn't happen to a nicer promoter.

It is funny that even though Dana always tried fucking GSP over, Georges did inevitably get the upper hand.

well, every single time GSP fought in the UFC, technically, they are ripping him off. so he never really got the upper hand, but he did fuck with their plans where they couldn't milk him for EVERYTHING.

 

[Mask Of Winters]

I’m all for the UFC ruling more with an iron fist after what Jon did, and it seems like more and more fighters are turning down fights. Either you fight or you get cut, no BS games being played.

Fighters have collectively never done a worse job of making a case they deserve more pay than right now. It seems that more fights are more boring than ever and people around here have definitely noticed. IMO it's actually because most of these fighters are actually devoting more time and energy to being just like all the other conformist sheep on social media than actually getting fans to notice them for being good at their actual job. If anything I'm now convinced most of them are paid TOO much.

 

[Mask Of Winters]

I think we are heading down the road most major sports have gone through. Athletes eventually want their fair share of the revenue and start to head down the path of an association/union or both depending on what a judge would rule. Maybe this new media deal will finally push this boulder over the edge. A lot of these gripes and issues come from the UFC's brass long standing power over the fighters.

If some of that power shifts it can be great thing for everyone. Fighters, will have better pay/rights. UFC will be even more focused on making more money to make back what they lost. Fans, it should give us better cards and maybe clean up messes like what we got with Francis and Jones vs Tom. Just in general the guidelines between the fighters and UFC should be more streamed line and better understanding for all parties.

HARD disagree. Just look at how giving Conor and Jones more power worked out. Also as an NFL fan giving the athletes more power is the last thing any fan should want. College football has already been ruined by NIL money. The problem is, literally every single one of them believes they're a "unicorn" who deserves more money than all the rest and will throw constant hissyfits about it. Imagine anybody who fought on pretty much every card this year suddenly demanding to be the highest paid fighter in their division or else they'll refuse to fight. That's what giving athletes more power results in.

 

[wufabufa]

Seems like it's just the sport contracting as a whole. There are fewer options now for big fights outside the UFC than there were 15 years ago. Elite XC, Dream, Sengoku, Bellator, and Affliction all had big names competing and sponsors lining up to offer support. Opportunities outside the UFC now are PFL and ONE. You could argue Rizin but even then they don't put on a enough events to allow middle of the road fighters to actually make a decent living.

 

[Dacha]

Ufc is doing all right at the moment imo.

Past 2 years were way more boring to watch ufc than it is now, imo.

And if Aspinal looses soon to anyone, than that will bring more excitement short term in HW.

LW, WW, MW, LHW, and some HW are great to watch atm.

 

[Mask Of Winters]

I also want to say that OP using the NBA to support his point is pretty much the worst example possible, considering people abandoned it in droves once MJ left. It's become a niche sport these days.

 

[HHJ]

The Jones case is different than the ngannou case, although, it can certainly be argued the Jones HW area was borne from Ngannou leaving, so both are connected.

Ngannou wanted more money.

Jones just wanted easy fights to sail off into the sunset.

DAna has nothing to offer Jon to change his mind.

 

[cmw43]

Something big is happening in MMA, and not enough people are putting the pieces together. Jon Jones just retired, officially. Tom Aspinall was handed the undisputed UFC heavyweight title without a fight. This is not just the end of a legendary fighter’s career, it feels like the symbolic unraveling of UFC’s hold over the entire fight business.


Let’s break this down.


1. Jon Jones retires, UFC loses its GOAT
Jon “Bones” Jones, the youngest champion in UFC history and arguably the greatest fighter the sport has seen, is stepping away at 37. He was supposed to headline a massive unification bout against interim champ Tom Aspinall, arguably the most hyped heavyweight fight since Ngannou vs Miocic. That fight is gone. Dana White confirmed the retirement post-UFC Baku, and Aspinall is now champ by default.
Jones leaves with a 28‑1‑1 record, a legacy as dominant as it is controversial, and a fanbase torn between admiration and frustration.


2. This isn't isolated, Francis Ngannou walked first
Ngannou left the UFC as champion in early 2023 after UFC refused to include basic demands, health insurance, sponsorship freedom, better pay, and the right to box. Dana White publicly framed it as Ngannou avoiding challenges, but the truth was clear, Ngannou wanted fighter autonomy. He got it. His fights against Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua made him more money than his entire MMA career combined. He paved the way, and fighters paid attention.


3. Demetrious Johnson, proof that greatness isn’t enough
Mighty Mouse was arguably the most technically gifted fighter of his generation. Eleven straight title defenses. Untouchable. And still, UFC let him go to ONE Championship because he didn’t generate PPV revenue. He retired in 2024 saying he didn’t enjoy MMA anymore, not because of the fights, but the system surrounding them. His value wasn’t recognized, and he knew it.


4. The Conor Paradox, UFC’s Jordan Moment, Wasted
Here’s what’s truly baffling, UFC had its Michael Jordan moment with Conor McGregor. He transformed the sport’s visibility, brought in massive casual audiences, broke PPV records, and helped make Endeavor’s IPO a reality. He put the UFC into pop culture and mainstream media.


But unlike the NBA post-Jordan, where salaries exploded and players gained influence, the UFC tightened its control. Fighter pay didn’t scale with revenue. Sponsorships were locked down under the Reebok, then Venum, deals. Independent brand-building was discouraged unless you were already a Conor.


Imagine if, after Jordan, the NBA told every player they couldn’t have signature shoes or personal sponsors. That’s what the UFC did. Conor’s success didn’t lift the tide for other fighters, it became an outlier, a one-time storm they tried to bottle.


5. Missed Opportunities in the Social Era
In the last five years, fighters have been handed tools that didn’t exist a decade ago, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, Twitch, Substack, even OnlyFans. Fighters can monetize directly, build followings independent of the UFC, and sell their narratives without needing a Zuffa PR filter.


Jake Paul is the ultimate example. Love him or hate him, he leveraged YouTube, called out UFC’s pay model, fought real fighters, and made himself a millionaire outside the cage. Fighters noticed.


The irony? When Paulo Costa began trolling online and asking for better pay, Dana White sarcastically suggested he should “go be a YouTuber like Jake Paul.” Now Jake Paul is a legitimate business threat, running his own league (Most Valuable Promotions), co-owning PFL equity, and drawing more pay-per-view buys than many UFC Fight Nights, and Costa grew up his own audience on social medias as suggested by "the promoter".


That insult aged like milk.


6. Is UFC still the center of MMA?
In brand recognition, yes. In talent magnetism, less so. PFL and ONE are gaining traction, Bare-knuckle boxing is pulling retired UFC names. Even celebrity boxing has peeled away the audience that once tuned in religiously for UFC main events.


More importantly, fans now follow fighters, not leagues. Gen-Z doesn’t care who Dana White thinks is the number one contender. They care who’s real, who posts content, who interacts, who tells a story. They’ll watch Ngannou in Saudi Arabia, Mighty Mouse doing gi jiu-jitsu, or even Nate Diaz slap-box in a warehouse if the vibe is authentic.


7. The UFC model is cracking
Exclusive contracts. Zero unionization. Capped sponsorships. Backroom bonuses instead of guaranteed pay. That model worked when the UFC was the only show in town. It doesn’t work anymore.
And fans notice. Title shots are arbitrary. Activity is sporadic. Fighters go inactive for years holding belts. Matchmaking is more about marketing than merit.


Meanwhile, the fighters UFC let go, or mistreated, are thriving. Ngannou made $30 million in one night. Mighty Mouse retired on his terms. Even a mid-tier fighter like Sean O’Malley leveraged his own brand to become champ while pushing back on the UFC’s marketing machine.


8. What happens next?
Either UFC evolves or it bleeds. Not all at once. But one name at a time. One headline lost. One superfight canceled. Jon Jones is gone. Ngannou is gone. Johnson is gone. The next could be O’Malley, or Aspinall, or anyone who decides they’re more valuable than their contract says they are.


Fighters have the tools. Social media, sponsorships, brand deals, side businesses, alternative leagues, and global exposure. UFC is still the biggest platform, but it’s no longer the only one. And the fighters know it.

---

TL,DR
The UFC had its Jordan moment with McGregor, but instead of using it to lift all fighters, it locked them down. The ones who left—Ngannou, Johnson, maybe now Jones—found success elsewhere. With the rise of social media and alternative leagues, fighters are learning that the cage isn’t the only place to win. And Dana White’s old playbook isn’t working anymore.

No one's catching UFC.

PFL are burning money fast and can't even afford to put on another Ngannou event because they would lose too much money.

ONE are falling off for MMA, they're top guys aren't getting fights and they've got money issues of their own.

UFCs product has become diluted but their finances are solid and they're a multi-billion dollar company with no serious competition at this point.

 

[CC27]

Imagine typing out the sentence OneFC is gaining traction. They have almost completely abandoned mma, cancelled their US show in Denver and I believe are gonna lose the Amazon US deal..

They are losing money hand over fist but yeah gaining traction.

If anything UFC is putting further distance between itself and everyone else and fact they are doing that during a period where people are down on the product shows its over. They won, a long time ago.

 

[cmw43]

Won't be surprised. The problem the UFC has is the investment company that owns it took huge loans and paid too much, believing they could grow the sport. Then all the UFC stars faded away 1 by 1 and there's none left now.

So despite the profit the UFC still makes, most of it probably goes to servicing the debt. Honestly the best thing for the fighters would be for the UFC to go bankrupt, and then be re-structured under new management without the crazy debt. Then it would be profitable and be able to afford paying fighters better money.

Could you explain why they would need to go bankrupt?

The stock prices are through the roof the last five years, they got a big money netflix deal for WWE (which has very low debts) and the UFC had their record year for revenue last year at $1.4billion.

 

[Hellowhosthat]

PFL and ONE are absolutely not gaining traction and are infact losing millions of dollars a year.

 

[snugglecakes]

that just means the whole sport is losing interest. There is no org that's gonna swoop in and overtake the UFC. The PFL is a joke. Rizin is a joke. ONEFC is a joke. They're all the minor leagues.

just cause UFC is losing interest doesn't mean anybody else will step up. It's sorta like the NBA ratings dropping doesnt mean some B league of basketball is gonna swoop in and overtake the NBA.

 

[Plissken]

The UFC's competitors are practically invisible so even though the UFC is in decline the competition isn't gaining either, it's just an overall downtime for MMA.