Bellator MMA is second biggest platform for mixed martial arts fighter after UFC. The promotion recently increased the salaries of the fighters, referees and judges. The promotion well known as “Bellator Fighting Championships”. Promotion signed top MMA referees for the pay-per-views. Bellator Referees salaries based on their contract with promotion reported.
| Officials | Base Salary | PPV Pay | Bonuses | Yearly Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Professionals Referees | $1.5k | $5k | $2.5k | $300k |
| Rookie Referees | $500 | $1.5k | N/A | $25k |
| Under development Referees | N/A | N/A | N/A | (offered contract) |
How Much Bellator Professional Referees Earn?
Referees receive two kind of payments in Bellator promotion, one with pay-per-view event where there earnings are more than $5k a fight for main-card or main-event. Non pay-per-view event, where pro referees earn maximum $1.5k. More than 35+ event take place a referee can earn maximum salary upto $300k which include pay-per-view money and bonuses.
- The pro referees have got great experienced active more than 5+ years in sports.
- They make more money from the sponsorships.
- Free traveling expense and accommodation.
How Much Rookie Referees Earn in Bellator?
Rookie referees are the entry-level ones they don’t have much expiernce, but got selected for the early-preliminary card, preliminary fight card. They earn pay-per-view and main-event fight card jobs after getting two or three years of expiernce.
Who are under-development officials?
- They only selected for the preliminary and early preliminary fight cards.
- No pay-per-view fight bonus awarded to them until they are part of the main events and PPV high profile fights.
- Promotion offered them contract based on their match official job in preliminary and early preliminary fight cards.
Highest Paid Referees in Bellator MMA and How Much They Earn Per Fight PPV Event?
Herb Dean did not only work as match official as UFC referee but also seen in main events of Bellator MMA. He is currently best paid mixed martial arts referees in the world. In UFC a reported revealed that he earned $15k to $25k for high profile fights. Bellator figures were bit different, a high profile match official earn maximum $5k to $10k estimated.
| Referees | PPV Card Fees | PPV Money | Bonuses | High Profile Fight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Herb Dean | $5k | $10k | $10k | $25k |
| Greg Franklin | $3k | $5k | – | – |
| John McCarthy | $5k | $10k | $10k | $25k |
| Frank Trigg | $2k | $5k | – | $10k |
| Blake Grice | $1.5k | $5k | – | $10k |
| Raphael Davis | $1.5k | $5k | – | $10k |
| Jonathan Romero | $2k | $5k | – | $10k |
- The top match officials earn maximum $25k for the high profile fight.
- Some ref’s maximum earn $10k from main pay-per-view event.
- Deen, Franklin and McCarthy top paid referees based on their expiernce.
Further details regarding to Bellator referees salaries and how much they earn when they got selected for high profile fight. More referees details included once the enter to the Bellator MMA promotion.