TKO’s Mark Shapiro: We’ll Pay ‘As Much As Makes Sense’ With WWE and UFC Stars

“I think it’ll be a normalized course, frankly,” Shapiro said. “We’re running a pretty lean cost structure, and in that cost structure is fighter pay. We’re going to continue to do right by our fighters and our superstars. The cream of the crop will be paid the premium dollars. And when we do deals like this, we don’t hoard that money. We invest in the product.

“Our last deal with ESPN saw us give bonuses for fight of the night, give bonuses for the knockdown or submission of the night. It saw us give fees any of the global partnerships deals we did and consumer licensing. Consumer product licensing deals we’ve done. So we’re going to share as much as makes sense with the stars of both leagues. We will be very competitive; we are very competitive. Pay more than anybody, any other competitor we have in the combat sports space. We know why we’re here. It’s a team effort; it’s our brand. It’s the work that Dana White does. On the WWE sids, it’s the creative force that Triple H is, the strategy that Nick Khan drives. It’s ultimately the hard work put in by our crews.”

Shapiro Says TKO Is ‘Transparent’ With Its Athletes

To emphasize the all-around work that goes into TKO-related programming, Shapiro pointed out that WWE typically runs shows on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Fridays as well as monthly premium live events. UFC also hosts its own fights, meaning there are virtually no breaks for TKO executives, crew and talents.

“It’s 52 weeks a year, so we have to pay for performance in terms of our people,” he said. “And the same goes for our fighters and superstars. You shouldn’t expect anything out of the ordinary. It’s a run rate for us, but we’re focused on it. Yes, you’ll get some of those Conor McGregors that really move the needle and or Jon Jones that get paid a little more, but they deliver more in return. It’s a scale and it’s a formula. We’re very transparent about it with our fighters and our superstars.”