How Much Do Top MMA Fighters Really Earn? A Breakdown of Salaries and Bonuses
‘‘Fighting is not what I do – it’s who I am. It’s what I was meant to do, what I was meant to be. I knew that right after my first MMA practice.’’
This quote from Jon Jones tells you everything about how dedicated many MMA players are to their sport.
Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) has seen its popularity soar in the last two decades, and the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) ranks as the sport’s most popular tournament. UFC events, depending on their profile, have the potential to reel in thousands or millions of viewers. This competition’s popularity has also paved the way for mind-boggling revenue numbers; in 2024, the UFC generated over $1.4 billion in total revenue.
While we’ve established that the UFC is popular and lucrative, there’s a question: how much do the top MMA fighters really earn? This detailed guide will break down how much elite athletes in this sport make, including the money earned from their regular pay, sponsorships, and bonuses.
Base Salary: Starting With the Basics of UFC Fighter Pay
“You don’t get paid by the hour. You get paid for the value you bring to the hour.”
This Jim Rohn phrase rings true in competitions like the UFC, where athletes are paid based on their popularity and skills.
When a fighter joins the MMA big leagues like the UFC, they usually sign a contract that highlights their basic salary. This salary represents the amount they’ll make for stepping into the Octagon. Top fighters can earn anywhere from $250,000 to $1 million per appearance. For example, it’s alleged that one of the UFC’s top fighters, Ilia Topuria, earns between $500,000 and $3,000,000 per fight.
These figures are in line with real-world values, as Ilia pocketed a whopping $3,540,000 after his win against Charles Oliveira at UFC 317.
Performance Bonuses: The Rewards Tied to Excitement
In a bid to create exciting fights, the UFC gives fighters bonuses after every event. Athletes who do enough to get the “Fight of the Night” and “Performance of the Night” bonuses will get a one-time payment valued at $50,000.
However, note that this bonus value can skyrocket when it comes to premium events. For example, at UFC 300, fighters who got either bonuses would go home with $300,000.
In this tournament, Max Holloway got $600,000 ($300,000 for the Fight of the Night and the remainder for his K.O.).
PPV Points: Where the Big Bucks Roll in for UFC Fighters
Pay-Per-View (PPV) events are part and parcel of the UFC. They’re put in place so that a portion of the funds gathered from PPV (AKA streaming) sales will go to fighters.
According to a Marca report, Alex Pereira got an estimated $2.5 million in PPV sales in his fight against Magomed Ankalaev in early 2025. This stems from the fact that Alex is a revered fighter in the UFC world.
That said, top fighters who negotiate PPV points in their contracts are almost guaranteed to make tens of millions of dollars each fighting season.
Sponsorships and Endorsements for MMA Athletes
MMA fighters attract a lot of endorsements and partnerships because of their massive popularity. Their influence is felt in many industries, including online gambling. The relationship is usually beneficial to both parties, as casino operators take advantage of the fame of these fighters by making them their ambassadors. The fighters also make a lot of money from the endorsements of these iGaming brands.
From research and studies conducted in European countries like Poland, Asia, and North America, many experts have maintained that the endorsements of casinos by UFC stars have boosted the acceptance of such platforms and made more people use them. In Poland in particular, many of the highest-rated casino sites — often partnering with major sports personalities — are featured on review platforms (for example, https://top.kasynos.online/) where such collaborations are highlighted as a key factor behind their popularity.
Away from iGaming, their influence is seen elsewhere. For context, Venum is expected to continue as the official global outfitting partner of the UFC till 2029. According to the contract, athletes will receive $4,000 to $42,000 per fight, depending on their experience level and status.
While the Venum sponsorship deal ties in all UFC fighters, some high-level fighters have personal contracts with select brands.
Merab Dvalishvili has several sponsorship deals with companies such as Flash Motors, StarPro Combat, Panini America, and GA Logistics LLC. These ties earn him six to seven-figure earnings on a yearly basis.
Hidden Figures: Can You Truly Tell How Much MMA Fighters Earn?
The truth is that it’s almost impossible to tell how much MMA fighters, in leagues such as the UFC, truly make. But why is this so? While athletic commissions tend to spill the beans on fighter base salaries, figures regarding exact PPV sales, locker-room bonuses, and media incentives remain grey-zoned.
Fighter earnings being unclear has stirred up a slew of MMA conspiracies that sound true, one of the most notable labelling the UFC as a money laundering scheme.
The lack of transparency tied to UFC fighter earnings has birthed several antitrust suits. The most recent prompted the organisation to pay $375 million in settlement. As such, it’s expected that the UFC might become more transparent about payout figures shortly.
Final Thoughts on MMA Fighter Earnings
You might think that fighters in the UFC have enough money to make them and future generations financially secure. But the reality is different. Although great fighters like Max Holloway, Ilia Topuria, and Charles Oliveira make millions every year, most fighters earn pennies after their expenses have been subtracted.
As MMA surges in popularity, fighter earnings are still a controversial topic. For the time being, stepping into the Octagon remains a high-risk, high-reward activity that’ll give only a select few the financial freedom they seek.
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