It's the age old question. How much do MMA fighters make and once again, it depends who you fight for. Wanderlei Silva has been in a contract battle between Pride and K-1. While we don't know what he will sign for, it's been reported by Brazlian websites that he made somewhere in the ballpark of $150,000 to show and then he also received a win bonus as well in his previous contract. That will no doubt change during this next contract negotiation.
As far as the United States goes, there is no doubt that the UFC is far and wide, paying it's fighters the best in America. It's not even close for main event money.
According to a couple of fighters who did not want to be named in this story, a recent main event in King of the Cage organization, gave a main event fighter $2,000 to show and $1,000 to win. The WEC, which is one of the upcoming promotions is definitely in the same ball park for a high caliber main event. The undercard makes substantially less. Sometimes as little as $100 to show and $100 to win in some organizations.
Bottom line, fighters are going to have to work a full time job unless you can be one of Pride's elite like Minotauro Nogueira, Wanderlei Silva or Mirko Cro Cop or one the UFC's elite like Tito Ortiz, Vitor Belfort, Chuck Liddell or Randy Couture.
Many fighters want the big money, but it's just not there unless you bring something to the table. If you think you can make the big money anywhere else in King of the Cage, TKO, IFC, etc....good luck. Try and get it.
Remember one other thing when you look at these numbers. Are fighters a draw on PPV. Can they sell out the house? What do they bring that the other guy doesn't bring. Doesn't matter how great of a fighter you are, it's what you can bring as far as gate revenues to the sport as well.
Here is a complete breakdown of the pay scale for UFC 51, which took place this past Saturday in Las Vegas, followed by in-depth analysis and commentary on all of the salaries.
-Tito Ortiz: $175,000 ($125,000 for fighting; $50,000 win bonus)
-Vitor Belfort: $100,000 ($100,000 for fighting; win bonus would have been $40,000)
-Tim Sylvia: $40,000 ($40,000 for fighting; win bonus would have been $40,000)
-Evan Tanner: $38,000 ($18,000 for fighting; $20,000 win bonus)
-Andrei Arlovski: $30,000 ($12,000 for fighting; $18,000 win bonus)
-Nick Diaz: $11,000 ($6,000 for fighting; $5,000 win bonus)
-Phil Baroni: $10,000 ($10,000 for fighting; win bonus would have been $10,000)
-Paul Buentello: $8,000 ($4,000 for fighting; $4,000 win bonus)
-Karo Parisyan: $8,000 ($4,000 for fighting; $4,000 win bonus)
-Mike Kyle: $6,000 ($3,000 for fighting, $3,000 win bonus)
-David Terrell: $6,000 ($6,000 for fighting, win bonus would have been $6,000)
-Justin Eilers: $5,000 ($5,000 for fighting; win bonus would have been $5,000)
-Chris Lytle: $4,000 ($4,000 for fighting; win bonus would have been $4,000)
-David Loiseau: $4,000 ($2,000 for fighting; $2,000 win bonus)
-Pete Sell: $4,000 ($2,000 for fighting; $2,000 win bonus)
-James Irvin: $3,000 ($3,000 for fighting; win bonus would have been $3,000)
-Drew Fickett: $2,000 ($2,000 for fighting; win bonus would have been $2,000)
-Gideon Ray: $2,000 ($2,000 for fighting; win bonus would have been $2,000)
Total Fighter Payroll: $456,000
Comparative Notes on Total Fighter Payroll:
UFC 47: $333,000
UFC 48: $586,000
UFC 49: $535,000
UFC 51: $456,000
As far as the United States goes, there is no doubt that the UFC is far and wide, paying it's fighters the best in America. It's not even close for main event money.
According to a couple of fighters who did not want to be named in this story, a recent main event in King of the Cage organization, gave a main event fighter $2,000 to show and $1,000 to win. The WEC, which is one of the upcoming promotions is definitely in the same ball park for a high caliber main event. The undercard makes substantially less. Sometimes as little as $100 to show and $100 to win in some organizations.
Bottom line, fighters are going to have to work a full time job unless you can be one of Pride's elite like Minotauro Nogueira, Wanderlei Silva or Mirko Cro Cop or one the UFC's elite like Tito Ortiz, Vitor Belfort, Chuck Liddell or Randy Couture.
Many fighters want the big money, but it's just not there unless you bring something to the table. If you think you can make the big money anywhere else in King of the Cage, TKO, IFC, etc....good luck. Try and get it.
Remember one other thing when you look at these numbers. Are fighters a draw on PPV. Can they sell out the house? What do they bring that the other guy doesn't bring. Doesn't matter how great of a fighter you are, it's what you can bring as far as gate revenues to the sport as well.
Here is a complete breakdown of the pay scale for UFC 51, which took place this past Saturday in Las Vegas, followed by in-depth analysis and commentary on all of the salaries.
-Tito Ortiz: $175,000 ($125,000 for fighting; $50,000 win bonus)
-Vitor Belfort: $100,000 ($100,000 for fighting; win bonus would have been $40,000)
-Tim Sylvia: $40,000 ($40,000 for fighting; win bonus would have been $40,000)
-Evan Tanner: $38,000 ($18,000 for fighting; $20,000 win bonus)
-Andrei Arlovski: $30,000 ($12,000 for fighting; $18,000 win bonus)
-Nick Diaz: $11,000 ($6,000 for fighting; $5,000 win bonus)
-Phil Baroni: $10,000 ($10,000 for fighting; win bonus would have been $10,000)
-Paul Buentello: $8,000 ($4,000 for fighting; $4,000 win bonus)
-Karo Parisyan: $8,000 ($4,000 for fighting; $4,000 win bonus)
-Mike Kyle: $6,000 ($3,000 for fighting, $3,000 win bonus)
-David Terrell: $6,000 ($6,000 for fighting, win bonus would have been $6,000)
-Justin Eilers: $5,000 ($5,000 for fighting; win bonus would have been $5,000)
-Chris Lytle: $4,000 ($4,000 for fighting; win bonus would have been $4,000)
-David Loiseau: $4,000 ($2,000 for fighting; $2,000 win bonus)
-Pete Sell: $4,000 ($2,000 for fighting; $2,000 win bonus)
-James Irvin: $3,000 ($3,000 for fighting; win bonus would have been $3,000)
-Drew Fickett: $2,000 ($2,000 for fighting; win bonus would have been $2,000)
-Gideon Ray: $2,000 ($2,000 for fighting; win bonus would have been $2,000)
Total Fighter Payroll: $456,000
Comparative Notes on Total Fighter Payroll:
UFC 47: $333,000
UFC 48: $586,000
UFC 49: $535,000
UFC 51: $456,000
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