UFC fighters are compensated several ways. There is a fixed amount to show and another fixed amount to win, usually identical amounts. Fighters also get Reebok pay based on tenure, for wearing the distinctive apparel during fight week and in the Octagon. And four fighters generally receive an extra $50,000 ‘of the night’ performance bonus.
There is also undisclosed income. Sometimes fighters get locker room bonuses of varying amounts; despite their name locker room bonuses actually come in the mail. And the most elite fighters get a cut of the PPV that can run into millions. The exact cut is determined via contract, which is private.
MMAjunkie calculates the Reebok pay and when commissions make such available, also gets the disclosed payouts. Those, combined with the performance bonuses, are tabulated below for The TUF 24 Finale at The Pearl at Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas on Saturday.
Champ Demetrious Johnson: $350,000 (no win bonus) + $40,000 Reebok pay = $390,000
def. Tim Elliott: $100,000 to show + $30,000 Reebok pay = $130,000
Joseph Benavidez: $140,000 (includes $70,000 win bonus) + $20,000 Reebok pay = $160,000
def. Henry Cejudo: $50,000 + $5,000 Reebok pay = $55,000
Jorge Masvidal: $120,000 (includes $60,000 win bonus) + $10,000 Reebok pay = $130,000
def. Jake Ellenberger: $78,000 + $15,000 Reebok pay = $93,000
Jared Cannonier: $24,000 (includes $12,000 win bonus) + $2,500 Reebok pay + $50,000 performance bonus = $76,500
def. Ion Cutelaba: $12,000 + $2,500 Reebok pay + $50,000 performance bonus = $64,500
Sara McMann: $56,000 (includes $28,000 win bonus) + $5,000 Reebok pay + $50,000 performance bonus = $111,000
def. Alexis Davis: $27,000 + $5,000 Reebok pay = $32,000
Brandon Moreno: $24,000 (includes $12,000 win bonus) + $2,500 Reebok pay = $26,500
def. Ryan Benoit: $15,000 + $2,500 Reebok pay =$16,500
Ryan Hall: $34,000 (includes $17,000 win bonus) + $2,500 Rebok pay = $36,500
def. Gray Maynard: $51,000 + $15,000 Reebok pay = $66,000
Rob Font: $33,000 (includes $16,500 win bonus) + $2,500 Reebok pay = $35,500
def. Matt Schnell: $10,000 + $2,500 Reebok pay = $12,500
Dong Hyun Kim: $20,000 (includes $10,000 win bonus) + $2,500 = $22,500
def. Brendan O’Reilly: $12,000 + $2,500 = $14,500
Jamie Moyle: $20,000 (includes $10,000 win bonus) + $2,500 = $22,500
def. Kailin Curran: $20,000 + $2,500 = $22,500
Anthony Smith: $30,000 (includes $15,000 win bonus) + $5,000 + $50,000 performance bonus = $85,000
def. Elvis Mutapcic: $16,000 + $2,500 = $18,500
Devin Clark: $20,000 (includes $10,000 win bonus) + $2,500 = $22,500
def. Josh Stansbury: $12,000 + $2,500 = $14,500
These fighters can be reordered from high to low.
Demetrious Johnson: $390,000
Joseph Benavidez: $160,000
Tim Elliott: $130,000
Jorge Masvidal: $130,000
Sara McMann: $111,000
def. Jake Ellenberger: $93,000
Anthony Smith: $85,000
Jared Cannonier: $76,500
Gray Maynard: $66,000
Ion Cutelaba: $64,5000
Henry Cejudo: $55,000
Ryan Hall: $36,500
Rob Font: $35,500
Alexis Davis: $32,000
Brandon Moreno: $26,500
Dong Hyun Kim: $22,500
Jamie Moyle: $22,500
Kailin Curran: $22,500
Devin Clark: $22,500
Elvis Mutapcic: $18,500
Ryan Benoit: $16,500
Brendan O’Reilly: $14,500
Josh Stansbury: $14,500
Matt Schnell: $12,500
Total disclosed payouts: $1,528,000
The aggregated Win + Show + Reebok pay + performance bonuses, still does not represent a full accounting of each fighter’s income. There are additional potential streams as noted above. Further, fighters bear significant costs including training expenses, a percentage to management, a percentage to the trainer, plus insurance, licenses, and taxes.
In short, this an exceedingly hard way to make a living.
