Determining just how much money a combat athlete has earned in their career is tough to figure out precisely. However, it is exactly what the team at Celebrity Net Worth does every day. The site states their figures ‘were acquired from all publicly available information including per fight salaries, real estate holdings, divorces, merchandise, royalties and endorsements. The final net worths come from a formula that takes out taxes, manager’s fees, agents’ fees, and lifestyle.’
In the UFC, athletes are paid a base salary to fight, and another sum to win. Athletes also receive money from sponsors, however currently that is only from Reebok. Lastly, athletes we have gained notoriety can negotiate to take a royalty on PPV sales on events they fight in. The PPV sales numbers are never released publicly, however industry experts like Dave Meltzer have been fairly accurate in their estimations according to UFC President Dana White.
The only contract that has ever been made public containing the structure of a PPV deal was that of Randy Couture’s that was released as part of a lawsuit:
Number of buys: Bonus
Fewer than 100,000: No bonus
100,000 – 175,000: $1 per buy
175,000 – 300,000: $1.5 per buy
300,000 – 330,000: $2 per buy
Over 330,000: $3 per buy
Using all the information available to them, Celebrity Net Worth has determined its list of the highest earning fighters in UFC history.
6) Brock Lesnar: $16 million
Brock Lesnar was perhaps one of the most high profile athletes to ever compete in the UFC Octagon. Lesnar was a former WWE champion who transitioned to mixed martial arts in 2007. After won professional fight, he signed with the UFC and although he lost his UFC debut, would win his next four and win the UFC heavyweight title from Randy Couture in 2008.
Although PPV numbers are kept private, estimations are somewhat accurate and Brock Lesnar is responsible for the top selling event of all-time for the promotion, UFC 100. He is also responsible for the second highest PPV sales event ever, UFC 116, a title defense against Shane Carwin and tied for fourth for UFC 121.
5) Wanderlei Silva: $16 million
Wanderlei Silva started his professional mixed martial arts career in 1996. He fought in the UFC once in a 1998 loss to Vitor Belfort before spending the majority of his career in the Pride organization in Japan where he was it’s biggest star. Silva returned to the UFC in 2007 when Pride was acquired by the UFC.
Silva is a veteran of over fifty fights and during his prime was the most feared fighter in his division. In his reign in Pride involved a sixteen fight unbeaten streak.
It is reported that when he transitioned to the UFC, he was able to negotiate a PPV bonus structure. His biggest money fight in the UFC was likely UFC 192 which ranks ninth on the all-time PPV buy list. Silva fought Rampage Jackson in the night’s co-main event.
4) Randy Couture: $17 million
Randy Couture is one the most-beloved athletes to ever fight in the UFC. Couture also took place in the eight biggest PPV in UFC history, his 2008 loss to Brock Lesnar for the UFC heavyweight title. He is also one of only a few men to hold titles in multiple weight classes in the UFC and was actually the first man to do so.
On top of his earnings from fighter, Couture was able to parlay his fame into an acting career and appeared in the three highly popular ‘Expendables’ movies. He also appeared on the 2014 television series ‘Dancing with the Stars’.
3) Anderson Silva: $18 million
Anderson Silva is considered the most dominant champion in the UFC’s middleweight division and by some the greatest fighter to ever step in the Octagon.
Silva began fighting professionally in 1997, but he took the UFC by storm in 2006 and won the promotion’s title against Rich Franklin. He defended his title successfully a record ten straight times and was undefeated in fourteen straight fights.
Silva is a huge celebrity in his home country of Brazil and one of the first fighters to receive worldwide endorsement deals with blue chip brands including Nike and Burger King.
Silva headlined UFC 168 in a rematch with Chris Weidman that was the seventh most watched UFC PPV of all-time. His rematch with Chael Sonnen in 2012 also made the list as the eleventh most watched PPV.
2) BJ Penn: $22 million
BJ ‘The Prodigy’ Penn is one of the biggest names to ever walk into the Octagon. A native Hawaii, his ‘Just Scrap’ attitude has made him a fan favorite in the UFC. Penn is one of few man that have won a title in multiple weight divisions. He has also fought as high as light heavyweight and as low as featherweight during his career.
On top of his earnings in fighting, Penn’s family is also wealthy and are involved in many business endeavors. His website bjpenn.com is rumored to generate over one million dollars a year.
Penn biggest payday was likely at UFC 94 where he fought Georges St-Pierre in a rematch for the welterweight title. The event lands at number twelve on the top grossing PPVs list. He also made it on the list with his UFC lightweight title fight at UFC 101 falling at fourteenth.
1) Georges St-Pierre: $25 millon
Georges St-Pierre is the first man ever to retire as a UFC champion on a win streak. St-Pierre dominated the UFC from 2005 until he retired in 2013 with the belt.
After winning the welterweight title, the only blemish in his title reign was his 2007 loss to Matt Serra, which he later avenged. St-Pierre won his last dozen fights in the UFC Octagon.
St-Pierre was one of the UFC’s biggest stars and fought in some of it’s biggest PPVs, including the top PPV of all-time, UFC 100, in which he defeated Thiago Alves. His title defense against Nick Diaz ranks tenth in the top PPV buys and his second fight with BJ Penn twelfth.
In additional to his earnings from fighting, St-Pierre had big money sponsorships during his career from brands such as Hayabusa, Affliction, Under Armour, and Gatorade.
HM) Conor McGregor: $10 million
Although his net worth is only right now estimated at $10,000,000, it seems as though only a matter of time before McGregor cracks the top five and may one day top the list.
McGregor is already responsible for some of the biggest PPVs in the UFC and is arguably the most popular fighter on the planet. And not included in his current net worth is his estimated $12 million payday for his UFC 193 fight with Jose Aldo.
HM) Ronda Rousey: $9 million
Celebrity Net Worth likely hasn’t update their numbers for former UFC Champion Ronda Rousey. Rousey has been the face of women’s MMA since debuting in the UFC.
Rousey is responsible for the third highest PPV buy rate in UFC history when she fought Holly Holm at UFC 193. Unfortunately for Rousey, it was also her first loss. Rousey was also part of the seventh highest PPV in terms of buy-rate when she fought Miesha Tate at UFC 168 in the co-main event.
In addition to her revenue from fighting, Rousey is also one of the sports most sponsored athletes landing deals with Buffalo Jeans, Monster Energy, and Reebok. Rousey also has transitioned into acting with roles in Entourage, The Expendables, and Fast & Furious 7.
