Top Richest UFC Fighters of All Time
In any sports, the players’ payment or net worth is always surrounded by controversy. Some players get a paycheck that is enough for their living, while some others earn enormous amount of wealth due to their massive popularity and talent. There are many fighters in the UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship) who have made a fortune that is even hard to made in some other popular sports games. However, such fighters’ incomes don’t rely on fighting. They get paid from sponsorships, real estate, investments, merchandising, movies, and endorsement deals.
There are various ways in which UFC fighters have found financial success. The fighters get paid a paycheck per fight, which is a base salary. If they win, they will get a victory bonus. Many popular athletes in the league even negotiate their fees before participating in the event. Here, we will take a look at some of the wealthiest UFC fighters.
Conor McGregor – $180 million
When we hear MMA or UFC, the face of Conor McGregor comes to our mind. This Dublin UFC fighter is the richest UFC fighter of all time. His skills in the octagon are not the only reason for his whopping wealth. McGregor is an owner of the whiskey brand Proper No. 12, and he has some other investments in real estate. Endorsement deals with gaming companies and some other brands have earned him millions in the last four years. He is the first UFC fighter to hold the championship of two divisions simultaneously.
Surprisingly, the highest paycheck of The Notorious Conor McGregor has not come from his MMA fight. His debut boxing match against Floyd “Money” Mayweather in 2019 earned him a paycheck which was bigger than all of his UFC fights combining. In May 2021, Forbes named him the highest-paid athlete in the world, outrunning Cristiano Ronaldo and other popular athletes.
Rorion Gracie – $50 million
Well, if you don’t know this MMA fighter, then you might be living under a rock. The 69-year-old Brazilian athlete is one of the co-founders of UFC. He is responsible for introducing Brazilian Jiu-jitsu to the Unites States of America and some other parts of the world. Along with mixed martial artists, he is a writer, lecturer, and producer. He is trained by his father, who was also a renowned fighter in Brazil.
His massive wealth of $50 million has not come from his MMA career. He sold UFC to Dana White and the Fertitta brother for an enormous amount. He has trained some popular names in the fight business, such as CM Punk, Michael Duncan, and Javier Vasquez. Currently, he lives in Southern California and still teaches what he is best at to the students.
Khabib Nurmagomedov – $40 Million
Remained underdog for many years in the UFC, Khabib is among the richest UFC athletes and among the greatest fighters in MMA history. This Russian fighter is a two-time Combat Sambo World Champion and has no loss in his mixed martial arts professional career. He became UFC Lightweight Champion after defeating Conor McGregor in 2018.
His solid track records in the organization and a whole MMA career have earned him a fortune. His fight against McGregor got him a paycheck of more than $15 million. With fortune, he has become one of the most successful fighters in UFC. With a net worth of $40 million, he is the third wealthiest UFC fighter.
Georges St-Pierre – $30 million
Georges St-Pierre, also known as GSP, is the first fighter in the organization to become an undefeated UFC champion. This Canadian fighter ultimately dominated the UFC from 2005 to 2013. Before McGregor, he used to be the face of the UFC. Holding the record for the most welterweight championship defenses in UFC history, GSP headlined some of the biggest UFC events.
His talent in the Octagon allowed him to secure lucrative sponsorship dealers from some popular brands. GSP was easily one of the biggest Pay-Per-View stars in his prime time. In UFC 100, his fight against Thiago Alves was the highest-grossing event of that time. Being one of the greatest fighters of the company has earned him a massive wealth of $30 million.
Brock Lesnar – $25 million
The former WWE champion decided to jump into the world of mixed martial arts back in 2007. He won his first fight in his professional MMA career, UFC signed him for his potential. He lost his debut UFC fight against Frank Mir. But he proved himself by winning four consecutive fights and winning UFC Heavyweight Championship in 2008 after defeating Randy Couture.
He also holds multiple PPV records in UFC history. Along with GSP, Lesner is responsible for the highest-grossing event – UFC 100. With a massive wealth of $25 million, Lesner is among the most successful as well as richest mixed martial art fighters on the planet.
