Former UFC bantamweight kingpin Sean O’Malley has reacted to the headline that Conor Benn is reportedly getting paid $15 Million for just one bout under Zuffa Boxing.
Earlier this week, Benn parted ways with Matchroom Boxing, leaving Eddie Hearn devastated, and signed a one-fight deal with Dana White’s Zuffa Boxing.
“Suga,” one of the UFC’s biggest stars and a fighter often seen enjoying “Dana White privilege,” is not pleased with the signing. On his podcast, he opined that he couldn’t believe how much more the British boxer is set to earn compared to UFC fighters.
Sean O’Malley Reacts To Conor Benn’s One-Fight Eight-Figure Deal With Zuffa Boxing
Sean O’Malley, who says he has never heard of Conor Benn, doubts that the British boxer will earn $15 million for just one bout under the Zuffa boxing banner. In a recent episode of his podcast, he quipped:
For me, it’s so hard to believe. I didn’t see it, and I heard it. I’ve been told Tim [Welch] told me, but I’m like, that doesn’t mean it’s true. I don’t know, it could very well be true. I can’t imagine it being true, Zuffa Boxing; it’s like, they’re paying out [$15 million]. I don’t even know who Conor Benn is. Supposedly he’s, like, a pretty big name in boxing, but I’ve never f***ing heard of him. I’ve never heard of him.”
To date, no UFC fighter has publicly claimed to earn a $15 million purse for a single fight.
Some of the sport’s biggest stars, such as Conor McGregor and Khabib Nurmagomedov, among others, have had handsome payouts through the pay-per-view model and bonuses. But no fighter has reported earning as much as Conor Benn is set to make from one fight alone.
According to a 2025 report, “The Notorious”, the promotion’s biggest draw, has total career earnings of around $114 million, while Sean O’Malley has earned approximately $10.7 million over the course of his fighting career in the UFC.
Reacting to the signing, “Suga” expressed frustration that UFC stars put in all the hard work and yet don’t make the same amount as Benn:
If they really paid this Conor Benn guy $15 million dollars, it’s crazy how you can just put in so much work in the UFC, build this name, create this character, be this star, and I’m not making f**king $15 million a fight.”
Check out Sean O’Malley’s comments below:
