UFC 81 Fighter Salaries
Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira def. Tim Sylvia
Nogueira — $200,000 ($100,000 to show; $100,000 to win)
Sylvia — $100,000
Frank Mir def. Brock Lesnar
Mir — $80,000 ($40,000 to show; $40,000 to win)
Lesnar — $250,000
Nate Marquardt def. Jeremy Horn
Marquardt — $52,000 ($26,000 to show; $26,000 to win)
Horn — $25,000
Ricardo Almeida def. Rob Yundt
Almeida — $40,000 ($20,000 to show; $20,000 to win)
Yundt — $5,000
Tyson Griffin def. Gleison Tibau
Griffin — $36,000 ($18,000 to show; $18,000 to win)
Tibau — $11,000
Chris Lytle def. Kyle Bradley
Lytle — $24,000 ($12,000 to show, $12,000 to win)
Bradley — $4,000
Tim Boetsch def. David Heath
Boetsch — $12,000 ($6,000 to show; $6,000 to win)
Heath — $6,000
Marvin Eastman def. Terry Martin
Eastman — $14,000 ($7,000 to show; $7,000 to win)
Martin — $12,000
Rob Emerson def. Keita Nakamura
Emerson — $16,000 ($8,000 to show; $8,000 to win)
Nakamura — $5,000
Does that mean Mazagati get 10% of Mir’s money?
Mazagati deserves 90% of Mir’s money.
Talk about beating a dead horse…
I really think with the dollars that the UFC is now bringing in they should have a minimum fighter payout of at least 10k for anyone on any card. If the fighter is suspended for a couple months after for medical for 5k, that is crap.
Thumper - My guess is you don’t run a business. None of us has any idea what their profit/loss really is, but that doesn’t stop people from thinking the UFC is rolling in dough while they starve their fighters. If you have first hand knowledge about the UFC’s finances, please share.
The UFC is more generous with salaries, bonuses, and overall compensation than any other league.
I do agree that paying some fighters $4-5k and another $250k is a bit of a wild range there, but it’s probably based on guys like Nogueira/Silvia, Mir/Lesner accounting for the bulk of the PPV buys, not guys like Bradley or Yundt. That’s just business.
250k for lesner that is bull ****, lesner said he wants to prove him self to be a proper fighter so next time he fights give him a 5k to show 5k to win bet that will be the last we see of him, hes in it for the money and if antone dissagrees with that then why is he getting paid 250k to get beat in under 2min, hes in it for the cash
Well Lesnar had lots of fans from WWE that night and brought in lots of ppv sales but his 250,000 was to much money for a fighter with no experiance. And Mazagati did a great job by stoping the fight as lesnar did clearly hit him in the back of the head. You can peralies a person if you hit them them hard enough in the back of their head by fractureing the c-spine. Good fight card and lesnar will be a big threat with his power in the future.
Mazaggati did a great job in that bout. Its ignorant to say he had any doing in Mir’s win. Watch the fight again and you will see that Lesnar is an unexperienced puncher and he was throwing wildly. That was a bad shot on the back of Franks head and if you switch the two fighters around you guys would say that it was bull**** that they didnt deduct a point from Mir. I am not a huge Mir or Lesnar fan but Mazaggati did a good job. Would you guys be saying the same thing if it was Big John in there??
Also….Lesnar gets $250,000??? Thats Chuck Liddell money. Thats a pretty penny for someone who has only had 1 other MMA fight. Pretty ridiculous….
Should Lesnar make that much more than the other fighters?
NO!
But hopefully with his WWE following and such it will bring more revenue to the UFC so that the other fighters can make close to what he made. I don’t think it’s wrong for him to make that much money. I think it’s wrong that some of the other guys only get 5k.
You guessed wrong Lowcash, couple points:
Do really disagree with a 10k minimum for a fighter in the UFC, 10k really isn’t all that much for someone that only fights every 3 or 4 months; even if they can fight 6 times a year that’s still not alot.
We all know that the UFC is finally profitable, it’s not a secret - 12 ppv events averaging, conservatively, 300k buys per event is over 160 million. This is not even touching on Fight Nights, TUF television show or merchandise sales.
Dana and the UFC deserve every penny they are making, they made the sport of MMA in North America. Every MMA org that is operating is operating because UFC did the work to get sanctioning for MMA.
Still think 10k for a fighter is too much?
Brock is a great draw and if the UFC is willing to pay him 250k that means they will make 5x that in ppv buys. The UFC isn’t #1 because they don’t know what they are doing. This ppv was a big deal because of Brock and not any other fighter on this card. The main event didn’t really have a big draw in it. Nog and Tim are both not thrilling fighters like Chuck, GSP or BJ. Mir’s last fight didn’t even make the PPV. And the only other fighter I really want to see was Griffin and to a lesser extent Marquardt. With out Brock this PPV would have don’t poorly with the main stream fan that will never go on this site. They need to get the people to buy the PPV that think a Gogoplata in a dance move. All of us would have still seen the PPV, hell I watched a card that has Bisping. The UFC make money on how many people buy PPV not on how wins the fighter has under his belt and that is what they are paid on.
If lesnar made 250k for that fight maybe he can give me back the 200 bucks i lost on him.
Concerning fighters wages; i believe in the old saying, Something is worth what somebody is willing to pay.
Brock brings alot of fans to the ufc and if he’s smart enough to get that payday then good luck to him.
I do think that there should be some kind of mile stone set for up and coming fighters so they can train fulltime whilst not living like a starving students.
One of the most refreshing things for me with the mma is that the don kings of the world havent got their dirty grip on the sport yet(a couple of wannabes possibly), maybe some guidelines could be put in place to stop that circus coming to the ufc.
Just because boxing was first doesnt mean we have to follow their business plan.
A code of honor is engrained in to the many fighting styles that make up MMA. Lets not lose that to greed and turn in to the farce boxing became.
What were they thinking paying Lesnar $250,000…its a slap in the face to all the other fighters who have proved themselves in the UFC! No-matter what, Lesnar once used steroids and has no credit as a fighter in my opinion. Support those fighters that have made a name for themselves because they are good fighters and have natural talent not ones that “wrestle” like in the WWE and and the like its as fake as you can get! Once you use steroids you have no credit as a real fighter anymore!
It is hard to really determine what these guys are making, I can only hope there is more $$ somewhere for many of these guys.I did read somewhere that Mir would likely get a big “locker room bonus” I dont think that is reflected in the #’s. There is no doubt that Brock was a big PPV draw, but in prinicipal if you can pay Brock 250k to show, I think you can pay his opponent better than 40k to win, especially if the expected outcome is for that person to take a beating and loose. Right or wrong that was the expectation of some people.
Three is a lot of disparity in the announced salaries; however there are other things to consider like signing bonuses and the fact that all UFC fighters sign a regular contract that pays them a flat fee for being a representative of the UFC. The TUF shows are always announcing the “Six Figure Contract” as it’s prize for winning the show. Believe me, all the guys that have signed multi fight deals are being taken care of. They also receive a percentage of the PPV buys for the events that they fight in. The UFC is a classy organization that is all business, but they do take care of their guys. They proved it with the Couture issue.
Eddyr92806-
You are right. Brock Lesnar was the reason most people tuned into the fight. I would be lying if I said I wasnt interested in seeing how well he did. Buuuut, his base salary should not be anymore than anyone else on the card. Its ****ty Frank Mir beat him in less than 2 minutes and gets almost $200,000 less than him. Fighters should be paid on how well they prove themselves….not on how hyped up they are. Lesnar could be a good fighter in the future, who knows…..but $250,000??? Thats more than all the fighters made combined in the last fight night. The UFC was stupid for hyping him up so much without seeing him really fight….all real MMA fans knew he had a slim chance of winning the fight, they just hyped him up to be sooo good and our occasional and/or new MMA fans and WWF fans thught he would walk through everyone. You cant be a major success in other sports and expect to walk into MMA and automatically be a success. (i.e. Brock Lesnar, Johnny Morton)
Does Nakamura have enough money to get a plane ticket back to Japan ? This is so rediculous.
I disagree im a die hard mma fan and i have seen every ufc ppv from 57 to 80 and a bunch before that but not in a row like that was but i chose to not order this because as a whole this card was not worth the 45 bux they want although i will admit i was interested to find out how lesner would do but i cant stand tim sylvia the tyson griffin fight interested me as well but i heard it was boring and i wasnt really drawn to any of the otha fights all in all compared to there next 3 live events this one was piss poor
Thumper - “Still think 10k for a fighter is too much?”
Too much? Of course not, I never said that. I’ll summarize my thoughts…
If you have a minimum, as you will always have guys like Weems, Sims, Joey Scarola, and other people who don’t deserve $10.00 to fight, much less $10 thousand.
I’m just saying, for your first few fights, keep your day job and prove you’re serious. The money will follow quite quickly if your worthy.
Here is the breakdown of the lower paid guys prior to UFC 81:
Yundt & Bradley - no quality fights.
Heath & Nakamura - both loss their last 2 “legit” fights in a row.
The pattern is obvious. If you set a 10k minimum, you need to enforce some quality control. If you do that, you rob these guys of their opportunity to make it big.
You have a point Lowcash but I don’t believe that the guys showing up on short notice that have been fighting in other orgs have any multi fight deals with UFC. If they come in and break a hand are they being taken care of by the UFC beyond the 4 or 5k listed as there pay? ( I actually believe they probably are) If the UFC does pay more to the lowest level of fighter they should make sure the fans know it as in business perception is often more important that reality. I am sure Tim Boetsch got a visit from Dana and some further compensation, Nakamura has a contract so there is more there for him as well; but what about Rob Yundt? At least he didn’t get hurt. What I am saying is if the UFC is a little more generous with the lowest tier of fighter it will reap much more loyalty from that kind of goodwill, It’s like the draft in other sports; you have to draft a lot of kids to find one star. Quality control is almost impossible someone who looks great at a lower level of competition may never be able to step up or you may find a Boetsch.
Wow Brock made 250k, I always wondered how much fighters get paid. Brock got 250k, and lost the fight. What if he won the fight, he would have received 500k.
FixXer I totally agree with you on Brosnar being overpaid. But we have to keep in mind that HE is the reason that card sold. I mean the UFC had a bunch of WWE kids begging their moms to watch Brock fight in a “real” fight. Feel me? And then, it had to be that Lesnar lost. If he would’ve won it would discredit the UFC as a whole. The UFC knew what they were doing when they threw Mir at him. But getting back to the point, Brock was paid what the UFC thought he was worth. And by most of us paying to watch that event, well that proves the UFC’s point. Right? UFC has always been questioned regarding their fighter salaries and it really comes down to the fact that these fighters sell tickets and PPVs. It’s not going to change anytime soon. As a matter of fact, it happens in that lame sport . . . I think it’s called boxing.
FixXer says:
Lesnar gets $250,000??? Thats Chuck Liddell money. Thats a pretty penny for someone who has only had 1 other MMA fight. Pretty ridiculous….
REPLY: $250,000 is ridiculous for a first time fighter, but, before you rush to give Liddell the $$$, let Boetsch have a shot at him. I believe we’ll see that Liddell can be beat by this guy, and while he’s ready now, I’m sure they’ll make him climb the ladder…
It should be winner take all,the money in a case in the middle of the ring, seriously whacked payments, definitely not based upon ones MMA record but solely upon the PPV sales one can bring in.
Lesnar is not worthy of 250.00 based upon his fighting skills.
The fighters should for a union….some are geting paid like crap.
JRTR,
I would like to know where you got the information that lesnar took steriods. I’ve never heard that. Are you just making that assumption because he came from the WWE? Because if that’s why you say that then you are dead wrong. The guy was that big when he was a COLLEGIATE WRESTLER.
Lesnar was caught with Human Growth Hormones when he was wrestling in college, not steroids, and it’s not exactly news anymore. He will be tested as will everyone else that fought on feb 2. Looks like with Nevada’s new rules they can be tested at anytime not just when they fight.
Mazagati screwed that up. Lesnar hit him once in the back of the head. Mazagati is suppose to verbally warned the fighter while they’re still fighting. Lesnar clearly had the advantage and Mazagati stopped any momentum he had. Mazagati did another match before Mir vs Lesnar and in that other match, one of the fighters was hit the other fighter in the back of the head. He verbally warned him while the two fighters were still engaging. So what changed in the Lesnar-Mir match? Mir better give Mazagati some paper for that gift.
I blame Dana White for setting Lesnar up for failure. Why in the blue hell would you put an inexperience fighter, that you’re heavily invested in, against a former champion, let alone a world class BJJ practitioner?? That made absolute no sense, especially when you WANT Lesnar to succeed. He is a big name that will bring a ton of money to the UFC.
Lastly, these fighters are getting cheated. Sorry, but if I’m putting my life at risk to dimensia or paralysis, I best be paid top BLEEPING dollar. Pro wrestlers make more than this. Fighters are going to start heading out the door and into the pockets of Mark Cuban if the UFC don’t start paying these fighters some real money. After all, they are entertainers.
First off let’s get our facts straight
1. Lesnar is a former NCAA wrestling champ, and runner-up.
2. Lesnar was tested repeatedly in college and passed every test.
3. Lesnar was arrested for possesion of steroids while wrestling in the WWE, but after the suspected steroids were tested, and found not to be, charges were dropped, and the police apologized.
Its one thing to ate a guy, its another to outright slander him.
Rather then hate on the pay so much,(which is what Dana felt he was woryh to bring in) why not talk about the fight, and how scary Brock could be if he tightens up his submission defense.
JRTR you sir are a freakin idiot. Lesnar has no fight cred? Ya he was only a national wrestling champion 4 times….sounds like the same cred Matt Hughes had when he was starting out. Also why hate on Lesnar for making $250k…its not like he demanded it. If an employer offered you $250k you would all take it too!
Also, for those saying Mir beat Lesnar in 2 minutes, thats a bold statement. I would say its more like Lesnar pounded on Mir for 1 minute and 55 seconds,and Mir capitalized on a rookie mistake and tapped Lesnar out in 5 seconds. Mir’s head looked like a raspberry patch!
E-Roc…couldnt agree with you more man. Lesnar should have fought a lower tiered heavyweight for his 2nd ever MMA fight. I could have seen them lining him up with Heath Herring or Brad Imes. Mir, although has been lacking lately, is extremly talented and it showed when he capitalized on Brocks mistake so quickly.
Lesnar will be a dominant force in the heavyweight division soon….Mir couldnt even lock an armbar on him…Lesnar just ripped his arm away like it was nothing.
bigpimpinson- Who are you to say he didn’t demand it do you think Dana King would have shelled out $250.k if he didn’t have to. If mma means so much to Brock lets see him do it like the rest of these guys, also this is not college wrestling hence MMA. To say or to use same cred. Matt Hughes had, thats a slap in his face he worked his way up did not make $250.k his first fight and he proved himself did Brock not if you lose in 90 sec. I don’t care to see him again. By the way watch the fighters that are about to leave. Then watch ufc scramble….
Just a thought but maybe Dana didn’t want a former WWE star walking into the octagon and walking out with a win, Paying him that kinda money isn’t stupid, from a buisness standpoint he was pretty much the whole draw for the card. And he proved that sports entertainers don’t belong in the same ring as mma fighters. Not saying that this was Dana’s thinking but there just seems to be alot of speculation and I thought I would just throw that out there.
It was a business move. The WWE has a large fan base, and I’m sure a large percent were watching.
LESAR IS IN FOT THE $ HE IS NOT A REAL FIGHTER AND 250K IT WAY TO MUCH TO SEE A WRESTLER FIGHT THE FANS WANT TO SEE MMA FIGHTERS
Lesner has alot of hype for the fight he gave. Lets talk about a real fighter. Frank MOFO Mir black in bjj, heavy striker and former ufc heavyweight champion. And who ever thought Lesner was going to win, just needs to keep watching WWE. And for record the ref was doing his.
Big fan. I think a union would be a retarded idea, no reason to explain that one.Its just retarded. If you’re making 5k a fight all it is is incentive to make a name for yourself. Also these fighters making that much are probably doing other things for money. They are obviously fighting for the love not the cash. Its really not a big deal as far as im concerned. People like lesnar deserve to get paid a gangload more because fighters like him are the people bringing in the most viewers. Generic joe is doing jack **** to bring viewers. Its a business, bottom line.