UFC Gym franchise cost: investment, fees and the SBA default rate

Items 5, 6 and 7 · UFC Gym FDD 2026 · Updated 2026

A UFC Gym franchise costs $601,896–$1,641,489 in total initial investment, according to Item 7 of the brand's FDD (2026). UFC GYM's royalty differs by club model; for the UFC GYM (Core) model it is 5% of Gross Revenues. On the lending side, UFC Gym franchisees defaulted on 44.4% of SBA 7(a) loans approved FY2010–FY2019 (8 of 18), and the average SBA loan to a UFC Gym franchisee in that cohort was $398,227.

How much does it cost to open a UFC Gym franchise?

Item 7 of the FDD estimates the total initial investment at $601,896–$1,641,489. It is the franchisor's own estimate of what a new franchisee spends to open one unit, typically the franchise fee, equipment, premises or vehicle costs, opening inventory and an initial working-capital reserve. The low and high ends usually reflect different unit sizes, leasing versus buying, and local costs. Range covers the UFC GYM (Core) model of 8,000 to 12,000 square feet; the Jiu Jitsu, Class, Signature and UFC FIT models have separate, different Item 7 totals.

What does the SBA data add?

The federal loan record adds what the FDD cannot: UFC Gym franchisees defaulted on 44.4% of SBA 7(a) loans approved FY2010–FY2019 (8 of 18 resolved loans), against the Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers industry average of 11.4%, according to U.S. Small Business Administration data with statuses as of June 30, 2026. Since 2020 they have taken 5 new SBA loans, of which 0 have already charged off.

Set the investment range against the loans: an average SBA loan of $398,227 against the $601,896–$1,641,489 investment range says roughly how much of a typical UFC Gym opening was debt-financed in the 2010s. The brand page has the year-by-year record and the industry comparison.

Most SBA default figures published online use loans approved since 2020 — loans that have had six years or less to fail — so those rates are floors, not outcomes. Every rate on this site is computed from the matured FY2010–FY2019 cohort: loans that have been paid in full or charged off, so the result is settled. Loans approved since 2020 are shown as counts so early charge-offs are visible without being mistaken for a rate.