TUF 21 purses: Gamebred breaks 100k

The Ultimate Fighter 21 Finale purses

Stephen Thompson: $42,000 ($21,000 to show, $21,000 to win)

Jake Ellenberger: $73,000

Kamaru Usman: $20,000 ($10,000 to show, $10,000 to win)

Hayder Hassan: $10,000

Michael Graves: $20,000 ($10,000 to show, $10,000 to win)

Vicente Luque: $10,000

Jorge Masvidal: $102,000 ($51,000 to show, $51,000 to win)

Cezar Ferreira: $20,000

Michelle Waterson: $30,000 ($15,000 to show, $15,000 to win)

Angela Magana: $10,000

Maximo Blanco: $41,400 ($18,400 to show, $23,000 to win)*

Mike De La Torre: $17,600*

Josh Samman: $20,000 ($10,000 to show, $10,000 to win)

Caio Magalhaes: $20,000

Jerrod Sanders: $20,000 ($10,000 to show, $10,000 to win)

Russell Doane: $11,000

Trevor Smith: $34,000 ($17,000 to show, $17,000 to win)

Dan Miller: $25,000

George Sullivan: $30,000 ($15,000 to show, $15,000 to win)

Dominic Waters: $10,000

Willie Gates: $20,000 ($10,000 to show, $10,000 to win)

Darrell Montague: $10,000

TOTAL $596,000

The UFC reported at the post fight press conference that the event drew 4,844 for a live gate of $291,000. 

The above figures via MMAPayout do not represent a full accounting of each fighter’s income.

Fighters bear significant costs including training expenses, a percentage to management, a percentage to the trainer, plus insurance, licenses, and taxes.

On the income side, fighters earned sponsorship of between $2,500 and $50,000 for wearing Reebok apparel in the Octagon, and for the week before it. Out of event sponsorship money too can be a significant, although it is smaller for many fighters than it was in the past. Several fighters on the card also receive $50,000 ‘of the Night’ Performance Bonuses.

Lastly, many fighters earn income from teaching, from appearances, and in many cases from regular employment in the non-fighting space.

*Blanco fined 20-percent of his purse; fine went to Mike De La Torre.