MMAWeekly has obtained the fighter salary information from the Ohio Athletic Commission for Ultimate Fighting Championship 77, which took place on Oct. 20 at the U.S. Bank Arena in Cincinnati.
The following figures are based on the fighter salary information that promoters are required by law to submit to the state athletic commissions, including the winners' bonuses.
Although mixed martial arts fighters do not have collective bargaining or a union, the fighters' salaries are still public record, just as with every other major sport in the United States. Any undisclosed bonuses that a promoter also pays its fighters, but does not disclose to the athletic commissions (specifically, pay-per-view bonuses, fight of the night bonuses, etc.), are not included in the figures below.
In the listings below, "Main Event Fighters" are defined as fighters who compete in the main event of a show. "Main Card Fighters" are defined as fighters whose fights appear on the main card, but not in the main event. "Preliminary Card Fighters" are defined as fighters whose matches take place before the live broadcast goes on the air, regardless of whether or not those matches end up airing on the TV or Internet broadcast.
The official attendance for UFC 77, as recorded by the OAC, was 16,054. The live gate (total gross receipts from ticket sales) was $2,519,850. The total disclosed fighter payroll was $652,000.
MAIN EVENT FIGHTERS
– Anderson Silva: $120,000 (5th fight for UFC; defeated Rich Franklin; includes win bonus of $60,000)
– Rich Franklin: $45,000 (11th fight for UFC; lost to Anderson Silva; win bonus would have been $45,000)
MAIN CARD FIGHTERS
– Tim Sylvia: $200,000 (12th fight for UFC; defeated Brandon Vera; includes win bonus of $100,000)
– Brandon Vera: $100,000 (5th fight for UFC; lost to Tim Sylvia; win bonus would have been $100,000)
– Stephan Bonnar: $44,000 (8th fight for UFC; defeated Eric Schafer; includes win bonus of $22,000)
– Alan Belcher: $22,000 (5th fight for UFC; defeated Kalib Starnes; includes win bonus of $11,000)
– Jorge Gurgel: $7,000 (4th fight for UFC; lost to Alvin Robinson; win bonus would have been $7,000)
– Kalib Starnes: $7,000 (4th fight for UFC; lost to Alan Belcher; win bonus would have been $7,000)
– Alvin Robinson: $6,000 (2nd fight for UFC; defeated Jorge Gurgel; includes win bonus of $3,000)
– Eric Schafer: $6,000 (3rd fight for UFC; lost to Stephan Bonnar; win bonus would have been $6,000)
PRELIMINARY CARD FIGHTERS
– Yushin Okami: $24,000 (6th fight for UFC; defeated Jason MacDonald; includes win bonus of $12,000)
– Josh Burkman: $20,000 (7th fight for UFC; defeated Forrest Petz; includes win bonus of $10,000)
– Jason MacDonald: $17,000 (5th fight for UFC; lost to Yushin Okami; win bonus would have been $17,000)
– Demian Maia: $10,000 (1st fight for UFC; defeated Ryan Jensen; includes win bonus of $5,000)
– Jason Black: $8,000 (2nd fight for UFC; lost to Matt Grice; win bonus would have been $8,000)
– Forrest Petz: $6,000 (5th fight for UFC; lost to Josh Burkman; win bonus would have been $6,000)
– Matt Grice: $6,000 (2nd fight for UFC; defeated Jason Black; includes win bonus of $3,000)
– Ryan Jensen: $4,000 (2nd fight for UFC; lost to Demian Maia; win bonus would have been $4,000)
DISCLOSED FIGHTER PAYROLL: $652,000
The following figures are based on the fighter salary information that promoters are required by law to submit to the state athletic commissions, including the winners' bonuses.
Although mixed martial arts fighters do not have collective bargaining or a union, the fighters' salaries are still public record, just as with every other major sport in the United States. Any undisclosed bonuses that a promoter also pays its fighters, but does not disclose to the athletic commissions (specifically, pay-per-view bonuses, fight of the night bonuses, etc.), are not included in the figures below.
In the listings below, "Main Event Fighters" are defined as fighters who compete in the main event of a show. "Main Card Fighters" are defined as fighters whose fights appear on the main card, but not in the main event. "Preliminary Card Fighters" are defined as fighters whose matches take place before the live broadcast goes on the air, regardless of whether or not those matches end up airing on the TV or Internet broadcast.
The official attendance for UFC 77, as recorded by the OAC, was 16,054. The live gate (total gross receipts from ticket sales) was $2,519,850. The total disclosed fighter payroll was $652,000.
MAIN EVENT FIGHTERS
– Anderson Silva: $120,000 (5th fight for UFC; defeated Rich Franklin; includes win bonus of $60,000)
– Rich Franklin: $45,000 (11th fight for UFC; lost to Anderson Silva; win bonus would have been $45,000)
MAIN CARD FIGHTERS
– Tim Sylvia: $200,000 (12th fight for UFC; defeated Brandon Vera; includes win bonus of $100,000)
– Brandon Vera: $100,000 (5th fight for UFC; lost to Tim Sylvia; win bonus would have been $100,000)
– Stephan Bonnar: $44,000 (8th fight for UFC; defeated Eric Schafer; includes win bonus of $22,000)
– Alan Belcher: $22,000 (5th fight for UFC; defeated Kalib Starnes; includes win bonus of $11,000)
– Jorge Gurgel: $7,000 (4th fight for UFC; lost to Alvin Robinson; win bonus would have been $7,000)
– Kalib Starnes: $7,000 (4th fight for UFC; lost to Alan Belcher; win bonus would have been $7,000)
– Alvin Robinson: $6,000 (2nd fight for UFC; defeated Jorge Gurgel; includes win bonus of $3,000)
– Eric Schafer: $6,000 (3rd fight for UFC; lost to Stephan Bonnar; win bonus would have been $6,000)
PRELIMINARY CARD FIGHTERS
– Yushin Okami: $24,000 (6th fight for UFC; defeated Jason MacDonald; includes win bonus of $12,000)
– Josh Burkman: $20,000 (7th fight for UFC; defeated Forrest Petz; includes win bonus of $10,000)
– Jason MacDonald: $17,000 (5th fight for UFC; lost to Yushin Okami; win bonus would have been $17,000)
– Demian Maia: $10,000 (1st fight for UFC; defeated Ryan Jensen; includes win bonus of $5,000)
– Jason Black: $8,000 (2nd fight for UFC; lost to Matt Grice; win bonus would have been $8,000)
– Forrest Petz: $6,000 (5th fight for UFC; lost to Josh Burkman; win bonus would have been $6,000)
– Matt Grice: $6,000 (2nd fight for UFC; defeated Jason Black; includes win bonus of $3,000)
– Ryan Jensen: $4,000 (2nd fight for UFC; lost to Demian Maia; win bonus would have been $4,000)
DISCLOSED FIGHTER PAYROLL: $652,000