Ultimate Fighting Championship, most commonly known for UFC, is one of the top governing body of MMA fights. It organize mixed martial arts fights on regular basis with different event names. There are Fight Nights, Vegas events and many more. Besides the fighters, referees are also a crucial part of these events. That’s why UFC hires them. UFC Referees Salaries for 2023 revealed.
UFC Referees Salaries
| Referees | Base Salary | Fees/Match | PPV Fees |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beginners | Based on Contract | $250 | Until Contract |
| Females | $30,000 | $500 | $2,000 |
| Professionals | $500,000 | $2,500 | $15,000 |
The entry level referees don’t get the UFC contract readily. They have to prove their abilities in their starting matches. Once they get experience, they get the contracts. Base salary depends upon the contract deal. They mostly officiate Early Preliminary matches before getting into the preliminary or main card fights.
Referees for preliminary card earn a base salary of about $30,000. Same amount is for female referees. The match fee for them is about $500. While the professionals who have immense experience get the best contracts and huge base salaries. The highest base salary that they can earn is $500,000 yearly.
Highest Paid UFC Referees
| Referees | Matches Officiated | Base Salary | Fees/Match | Main Event Fights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Herb Dean | 111 | $500,000 | $2,500 | $15,000-$25,000 |
| Mark Smith | 90 | $380,000 | $2,500 | $15,000 |
| Chris Tognoni | 86 | $380,000 | $2,500 | $10,000 |
| Jason Herzog | 62 | $380,000 | $2,500 | $10,000 |
| Keith Peterson | 53 | $380,000 | $2,500 | $10,000 |
Herb Dean is on the top of the list with a sure guaranteed purse of $500,000. Moreover, there are bonuses for him as well because he also remained a fighter. Besides these, there is $2,500 match fee for him. Dean mostly officiate Main Card fights. That’s why, he gets the highest $10,000 fee for such fights. He also holds the record of 111 fights officiation.
Officiating 90 matches, Mark Smith is at number 2 in the highest paid list. He earns annual base salary of $380,000 with the same match fee and fee for the main event. UFC Fight Night 200 as well as UFC 270 are coming. Both events are of much importance as there are many important fights included in them. We will update the details after every fight and once the fight is over.