Have you wondered how much UFC fighters get paid? This article will answer this extensively.
The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is a popular martial arts competition in the United States and the world at large, and many people assume them.
Many UFC fighters strive to become popular and win the various championship belt, but only one turns out to be the winner.
One name that has been reoccurring each year is the UFF legendary fighter Connor McGregor. He is regarded as one of the top 1% earners.
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Who is a UFC Fighter?
For some people, becoming a UFC fighter is a dream job that would accept because of the big monies earned provided they wouldn’t have to get to train, fight, or get beaten.
For the majority of people, UFC fighters are viewed as one thing and one thing only – trained martial artists who entertain the audience with their skills. Both of these categories of people may or may not be correct.
However, they are both needed to make the Ultimate Fighting Championship what is today.
A UFC fighter is a trained professional fighter who uses martial art skills to defeat his opponent in any match scheduled while following UFC rules of the competition.
For a wrestler, boxer, or kickboxer to become a UFC fighter, he must compete in lower competitions and win them before qualifying for UFC fights.
Since UFC stands for Ultimate Fighting Championship, there is the administration of only top fighters who have worked their way up through one or more lower championships.
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Differences Between IMMAF, WWE, and UFC Fighters
Due to the common misunderstanding of the nature of IMMAF and WWE, UFC is sometimes confused with both of them.
It is important that we state the differences between these bodies and their fighters. The chances that a fan might have misused these terms are low.
It’s only people who don’t watch wrestling, boxing, and MMA (mixed martial arts) that will need clarification on the difference between IMMAF, WWE, and UFC.
In any case, you will come across one of them while talking about mixed martial arts. So why not get to know the true description and distinct features?
The first thing to know is that WWE, IMMAF, and UFC are all MMA (mixed martial arts) entities. So, the difference between IMMAF, WWE, and UFC fighters is conclusively a simple one.
IMMAF fighters fight for International Mixed Martial Arts Federation/IMMAF. WWE wrestlers fight for World Wrestling Entertainment/WWE which is the world’s most popular wrestling competition.
UFC fighters fight for the Ultimate Fight Championship.
How Much do UFC Fighters Get Paid?
According to International Business Times, there are three salary tiers that UFC fighters are categorized into: low, medium, and high.
An inexperienced fighter with losing streaks will earn only the base pay of about $10,000 to $30,000. At the same time, the best fighters may take home between $500,000 and $3,000,000 per fight.
Most UFC fighters will not make millions per year but exceptional fighters like Connor McGregor, Alistair Overeem, and Mark Hunt.
Regarding endorsements alone, the MMA Guru reveals that McGregor makes roughly $25,000,000 a year from his deals.
Read: Do You Get Paid as a Volunteer Firefighter?
How do UFC Fighters Get Paid?
UFC fighters like Connor McGregor make millions of dollars after every fight, but the average UFC fighter may not make half that.
The UFC fighters get paid on a salary basis reliant on their performance of the fighter.
UFC fighters are special athletes and have different occupational experiences than other athletes. There are three main ways in which MMA fighters make their money.
1. UFC base salary
The organization pays its fighters a certain salary per fight. Some experts say that the base salary is not fixed, but the amount depends on a couple of factors including how popular the fight is.
Every UFC fighter is rendered an independent contractor free to negotiate with the UFC board on the base salary or wage.
A bonus amount is added to the base pay when the fighter wins a fight.
2. Sponsorships and endorsements
When UFC signed a sponsorship deal with Reebok in 2015, they paid UFC which in turn pay the fighters a few thousands on every fight.
This amount is between $3,500 to $35,000.
Some popular UFC fighters can decide to wear a brand product as ambassadors of the brand name.
The brand, in turn, pays some money to the fighter and this payment varies with the type of endorsement deal struck between the brand and the fighter’s agent.
Sponsoring and endorsing brands are often known on Fight Night where they will be many more people watching the fight match.
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3. UFC bonuses and fines
UFC bonuses are different from win bonuses. They are given to the best-performing fighters and fighters with the most wins.
Backroom bonuses are given behind closed doors, and no one publicly knows the amount.
The primary UFC bonuses include 1 “fight of the night” bonus and 2 “performance of the night” bonuses per event.
Categories of MMA titles
MMA fights happen so that there will be a crowned winner at the end. But there are categories of UFC fighters based on weight and thus different titles for winners in each category.
In a situation whereby an opponent doesn’t meet weight to the fight, UFC will pay the other fighter a part of their salary. This is one easy way some UFC fighters make money.
It is noteworthy to mention that the wages a heavyweight fighter will receive will be different from that of a Middle weighter or Lightweighter.
Conclusion
It has been noted that MMA fighters don’t have a specific or predictable amount of money they make annually. While it may seem like the top 10% of MMA fighters get the most attention and make the most money, you have to consider that these fighters practice countless hours before each fight.
Also, there have a large number of fans supporting them and their experience in fighting adds to their competitive advantage over the average UFC fighters.
They may make millions of dollars per fight, but the health risks associated with the sport that these fighters are putting on the line are unimaginable.
Scientific researchers say that MMA fighting (UFC inclusive) can lead to chronic Encephalopathy.
This condition results in irreversible damage that affects the brain, which prompts symptoms like memory loss, seizures, irritability, and more to develop.
FAQs on How Much do UFC Fighters Get Paid? All You Need to Know
Sources show that UFC fighters get paid in the range of $30,000 to $500,000 per fight. It largely depends on the experience of the fighter, his or her fan base, and managerial arrangements.
Not really. UFC fighters, like other MMA professionals, get paid per fight. First, they are paid a base salary after each fight, and other income sources follow that. A fighter can receive an annual bonus from sponsorships or endorsements and from his managing group.
It simply depends on the level of professionalism, experience, and popularity. Amateur fights in the junior leagues might get paid from $10,000 to $30,000 per fight won.
Yes, they do. They receive the base pay and if you’re as popular as McGregor Connor or Dustin Poirier then you’ll still likely end up with a huge pay even though you lose a fight.
Max Hollaway, Kamaru Usman, Dustin Poirier, and Connor McGregor are a few of the highest earners in UFC in the 2021/2022 session.
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