BUZZ PFL champion Nemkov says UFC fighters look underpaid, claims PFL pays two to three times more

The UFC pay debate has now reached the rival promotion's champion. PFL heavyweight titleholder Vadim Nemkov says UFC fighters look underpaid, and he puts a number on the gap: at PFL, he says, a fighter can earn two to three times more.

His comments come as UFC middleweight champion Sean Strickland argues with Dana White over his salary, according to La Sueur. Strickland's pay dispute has stalled his title defense against Nassourdine Imavov, and Khamzat Chimaev has said he will chase Strickland up in weight for a rematch, though no fight is booked.

Nemkov spoke on the Ushatayka YouTube channel and hedged his claim. "If the numbers I was told are accurate, then I really think UFC fighters are underpaid," he said, in a translated quote. He did not say where the figures came from, so the comparison rests on his account alone.

He also raised a complaint of his own. Nemkov says he fights once a year at PFL, when he should be fighting three times. That points to a trade-off: higher pay per fight, but fewer fights to earn it.

Nemkov is 34, Russian, and 20-2 according to La Sueur. He has held the PFL heavyweight title since beating Renan Ferreira in December 2025. A fight with Francis Ngannou was once floated before Ngannou left the promotion.

His next fight is the title defense against Sergey Bilostenniy at PFL Dubai on Nov. 14, the main event of a 15-fight card at Coca-Cola Arena. Watch whether PFL or the UFC responds to the pay claims, and whether Strickland's dispute is resolved.