Ultimate Fighting salaires are brutal to some

[Phil Hellmuth]

http://www.mmafighting.com/news/2007/ufc_73_salary_report.html

Tito Ortiz
$210,000

D

$170,000 (UFC 69)

L
Rashad Evans
$16,000

D

$24,000 (UFN 8)

W
Sean Sherk
$28,000

W

$22,000 (UFC 64)

W
Hermes Franca
$14,000

L

$24,000 (UFN 8)

W
Anderson Silva
$90,000

W

$71,000 (UFC 67)

W
Nathan Marquardt
$24,000

L

$44,000 (UFN 8)

W
Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira
$200,000

W

UFC DEBUT

N/A
Heath Herring
$70,000

L

N/A (UFC 69)

W
Jorge Gurgel
$14,000

W

$10,000 (UFC 63)

W
Diego Saraiva
$3,000

L

$3,000 (UFC 67)

L
Kenny Florian
$16,000

W

$16,000 (UFN 9)

W
Alvin Robinson
$3,000

L

UFC DEBUT

N/A
Stephan Bonnar
$32,000

W

$16,000 (UFC 62)

L
Mike Nickels
$5,000

L

N/A (TUF 3 Finale)

W
Frank Edgar
$10,000

W

$6,000 (UFC 67)

W
Mark Bocek
$3,000

L

UFC DEBUT

N/A
Chris Lytle
$20,000

W

N/A (UFC 68)

L
Jason Gilliam
$3,000

L

N/A (UFC 68)

L



Boxers on Friday NIghts on ESPN usually cash in 50,000 at least.

[lebomb]

MMA fighting ......specifically the UFC brings in millions of dollars thru payper view and their normal TV show, and that is all the guys get for killing themselves???

Not worth it.

[LEONARD]

MMA fighting ......specifically the UFC brings in millions of dollars thru payper view and their normal TV show, and that is all the guys get for killing themselves???

Not worth it.

They're underpaid for the most part, but that's not all they get...

1. Sponsors...most of them have many.

2. PPV %...the main event fighters get a % of PPV money. It's usually not made public though. The last time I recall it getting out was UFC 66 where Tito and Chuck both ended up in the $2M-$3M range, even though their base pay was $200-250k or so.

3. Fight bonus'...Gurgel and Saraiva each got an additional $30k for Fight of the Night. KO of the Night and Submission of the Night are also given out.

4. Dana White also gives guys additional money when he feels like it. If he feels they put on a good show he'll throw more money at them and tell them he wants them back, even if . Just looking at the reported base pay for each event doesn't tell you whole story.

5. Many of these guys use their UFC notariety to do seminars, clinics, and other appearances, merchandise sales off their website, or to start their own MMA gym where people flock there to train.

6. Fighting isn't a full-time gig for many of the $3k/fight guys....they're just breaking into the UFC.

Some guys, like Sherk, are at the end of a contract. He's grossly underpaid, but when he signed the deal he's still under it was a good deal for him at that time. He'll get a new contract now...

Salaries are slowly getting better. If it wasn't worth it, there wouldn't be thousands of guys around the world trying to make it to the UFC. This includes many with college educations, good jobs, and bright futures in other fields. Terry Martin is about to get his Phd in psychology...Joe Lauzon has a job as an IT guy...etc etc.

There are hundreds of tiny promotions around the country (some pro, some amateur) where the fighters truly get paid nothing ($500 range) and there are no sponsors, etc. That's where most of the UFC fighters got their start though...

[SAtoDallas]

Boxers on Friday NIghts on ESPN usually cash in 50,000 at least.[/QUOTE]

Not true. Maybe the headliner gets that but not the others.

[LEONARD]

[url]Boxers on Friday NIghts on ESPN usually cash in 50,000 at least.

Source?

[Evan]

To expand a bit on one of LEONARDS comments...

These guys get to basically use the UFC for advertising free of charge while they are under contract. Ads on clothes and banners in their corner advertising basically whatever they want...for free. They get to advertise their gyms and sponsors. Don't disregard that aspect of it. All while on PPV and regular TV. Take a picture of a fighter...there is their logos while fighting for the UFC.

They make truck loads of money off the UFC name. You should see my myspace page inbox. The fighters spam the hell out of people on their friends list. Its amazing. I get at least 20 ads a day from fighters. And as of right now I have 178 fighters signed up.

Josh Koschek, Cung Le and Jo Lauzon are the worst....

Ask these guys if they prefer free advertising or 200% pay increase and I guarantee every single mid level fighter and up will take advertising.

And not to alibi for the UFC, but they just started making money a few years ago.

[possessed]

Where does the "six figure contract" that Evans received for winning TUF factor in? 16 thou seems paltry for a fighter of his quality.

[Evan]

Where does the "six figure contract" that Evans received for winning TUF factor in? 16 thou seems paltry for a fighter of his quality.

Is spread out over three years I think.

[LEONARD]

Where does the "six figure contract" that Evans received for winning TUF factor in? 16 thou seems paltry for a fighter of his quality.

The "6 figure contract" has been way over-hyped on TUF...it was something like 7 fights at $16k per, which is more than 6 figures technically...

[tlongII]

This is the main reason that the top boxers are better than the top MMA fighters. The best fighters gravitate to the money.

[LEONARD]

This is the main reason that the top boxers are better than the top MMA fighters. The best fighters gravitate to the money.

Better at what? :lol

[SAtoDallas]

This is the main reason that the top boxers are better than the top MMA fighters. The best fighters gravitate to the money.
Two totally different fight games. Majority of fighters have part time jobs until they can "break through" and earn some decent money for all of their hard work and sacrifice.

[Evan]

This is the main reason that the top boxers are better than the top MMA fighters. The best fighters gravitate to the money.

Boxing numbers are over inflated. The fighters do not get as much as is reported.

Regardless, the fighters should get more.

[LEONARD]

UFC 73 bonus'

* Chris Lytle - Sub of the Night ($35,000) - Total Pay of $55,000
* Jorge Gurgel - Fight of the Night ($35,000) - Total Pay of $49,000
* Diego Saraiva - Fight of the Night ($35,000) - Total Pay of $33,000
* Anderson Silva - KO of the Night ($35,000) - Total Pay of $125,000

(Franca stated that he was given a bonus also)

Tito Ortiz - $210,000 Base, and it is confirmed that he got a percentage of the PPV Revenues. For UFC 66, he got about $1 Million for every 400,000 PPV Buys. This event likely did between 300,000 and 500,000 (rough guess), so Tito Ortiz took home between $1 Million and $1.5 Million

Source: Dave Meltzer & Wrestling Observer

So that $140,000 is on top of the $761,000 disclosed. Add in Tito's extra Million, and the total fight purse is around $1.9 Million...

[Evan]

1.9...which is higher than their gate.

[LEONARD]

Barnett confirms under the table pay...

http://www.sportsline.com/mmaboxing/story/10258762/2

JB: Well, some of those offers I mentioned are smaller promotions that might not be aware of just how expensive the top level guys are. Especially if it is that you read a CSAC or NSAC report following a bout and they say “Joe Schmo made $100 to fight.” Well, often he didn’t make — well, he did make $100 to fight but somewhere in the back he’s getting paid an extra $100 maybe $200 on top of that in addition to whatever it may be for pay-per-view. I even had to explain to a guy “You know I think you know what the top guys are getting but that’s not what they’re getting. They’re getting a lot more than you think they’re getting.”

Knew it had to be happening...

[Evan]

There are many dark days ahead for PRIDE's history. The UFC will dump the brand and we will see a image tarnishing never before seen. Fighters will be coming out with stories of shady deals left and right once their DSE contracts expire. The UFC will come out looking like MMA heroes cleaning up the sport as it will be spun that they bought PRIDE to save MMA.

[Evan]

By the way...let me explain that a bit more.

There will be some shady things. Some PRIDE fights were for sheer entertainment but I believe the vast majority were 100% legit but the few random shady ones will make the headlines.