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MMA FAQs

How Do Refs Get Paid?

The following information is not always the same in your state, but these are some good "general" rules to live by. We asked the Nevada State Athletic Commission these questions, and they were kind enough to provide us with the following answers!

1 - Can you tell me how much professional and ammy MMA Referees make for their services? (Are the fees different for a pro vs. an ammy referee?)
Most AC's do not not set the fees for amateur events but the professional MMA referees make between $200 and $1200 per event, depending on the expected revenue (gate) of the event.

2 - Do MMA referees get paid a "pre-set" amount, and is that set by the Athletic Commissioner, the event promoter or who?

Pre-set by the AC.

3 - Do they get paid per event, or per fight? So let's say they get paid $100. Is that $100 per fight in which they officiate (so 2 fights in one night and they make $200), or $100 per event, no matter how many fights they officate?

MMA referees get paid per event, in most states.

4 - Are MMA ref's assigned to an event by the State Athletic Commissioner? In other words, promoters don't just use their own ref's, right?

Correct; it is the AC that assigns MMA ref's to an event.

5 - Who assigns what fight to the ref? The State Athletic Commissioner, the promoter, or?

The AC assigns each MMA referee to a fight.

6 - Finally, is there a limit as to number of fights an MMA ref can officiate in one night?

No, but the AC usually limits a referee to no more than 5 bouts in most states.

If you have any more questions you'd like to see posted and answered, email us This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

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Quotable Quotes
Charles "Mask" Lewis - "Do greatness -- leave average to the lazy.” “I just want to mean something someday. Be more than someone who could have been, hopefully more than meets the eye, more than face paint, someone that will honestly make you proud.” Referee Marc Wasem - "Touch gloves, go back to your gloves. Uh, corners." – (giving the final instructions to Torres and Mizugaki)

Quotable Quotes

Charles "Mask" Lewis -
"Do greatness -- leave average to the lazy.”

“I just want to mean something someday. Be more than someone who could have been, hopefully more than meets the eye, more than face paint, someone that will honestly make you proud.”

Referee Marc Wasem -
"Touch gloves, go back to your gloves. Uh, corners." – (giving the final instructions to Torres and Mizugaki)

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