Kevin Iole has an interesting article over at Yahoo Sports in which he compares the recent salaries from a boxing and UFC event(s). With all the scuttlebutt stemming from the Randy Couture lawsuit and other deposed fighters, it’s interesting to see how the two stack-up.
From Iole:
I called the Nevada Athletic Commission and got the payment verification sheets for the last two major boxing shows (Bernard Hopkins-Joe Calzaghe on April 19 and Manny Pacquiao-Juan Manuel Marquez on March 15) as well as for the last major UFC show in the state, UFC 81 on Feb. 2.
According to state records, Hopkins and Calzaghe were each paid $3 million for their work. The next highest-paid fighter on that card was Audley Harrison, who made $20,000. There were nine fighters who made $5,000 or less, including two men, Marcos Mendias and Jermell Charlo, who made but $1,500. Pacquiao made $3 million and Marquez $1 million for their epic rematch, but there were five fighters of the 14 on that show who made $3,500 or less.
At the UFC show, the lowest base pay for any of the 18 fighters on the card was the $4,000 that Kyle Bradley made. The UFC also paid out $60,000 bonuses that night for knockout of the night, submission of the night and fight of the night. Plus, most of the fighters had bonuses for winning, so the opportunity was there for them to double their pay, which was not for the boxers.
It’s interesting to note that aside from the main event, the lower-tier salaries don’t seem to be much different. In fact one can argue that the incentive-based bonuses may actually push the UFC ahead of boxing in terms of salary for undercard fighters.
To read the entire article click here.
41 Comments »
Thanks for pointing this out. I’ve argued in vain for the past year with idiots that think the UFC isn’t paying their fighters enough. The proof is in the pudding.
I second that
Third that.
4th that
and 5th
6th that…
7th
8th!
Dana White used to be involved in boxing, and now boxing salaries are low! Grrrr!!! This must somehow be his fault because everyone knows that Dana White hates MMA except for when he gets to screw over the fighters. It’s his fault they choose a profession where they can’t live a millionaire lifestyle in their early to mid-20s. The UFC makes like 84 kajillion fofillion dollars a year, so the least DW could do is pay the fighters like two million dollars a fight so they can afford to train.
Take the total payroll man! The TOTALISMO and not just pick on the piddling pay of the undercards. The TOTALITY and you will see that the UFC is far making more money out of the fighters than those box promoters.
And given that MMA is being touted by the UFC as overtaking boxing.
I am an MMA fan but its discomforting to read justifications that put perfume into stinkin arrangements. We should be pushing for more pay for MMA fighters who take the punches and the beatings to our spectator delight.
Also where’s the talk now that there has never been any deaths in MMA now that two fighters have now succumbed. MMA is still a young sport in the spotlight compared to boxing but I think MMA fighters take a lot more beating or punishment than boxers if this would include tough and long preparations and beatings which MMA fighters undergo relative to boxers in preparing for a fight.
Did Liddell and Silva make as much as De la Hoya and Mayweather? I dont think so. Im sure even Jones Jr, as washed up as he is, makes more per fight than any marquee UFC fighter.
In the long run they will make more. No one cares about boxing anymore. Its over hyped and the promoters make the money. The big names get a chunk, but are never taken care of in the end. The UFC takes care of its marquee fighters. Maybe you should read Matt Hughes & Chuck Liddell’s books!
That is true, though what I think makes the UFC (and all MMA) much better is that these guys make a honest living.Whether(?) you are a champ, or if you are in the lower tier, they all fight about 3 times a year to pay their bills.Some guys live large, some have other jobs.
And guys like Randy, chuck, Tito (from old contract) are making great money. Include bonuses, and it’s a better living than 99% of americans. Quit bitching and fight your way to the top!!
Really puts it in perspective. All the complainers need to shut up, train hard, gets some wins, then ask for more money. Pretty simple.
I’m with you 100% on this one Kevin. 500K for 15 min, that’s only 33,333 an hour…not bad. Don’t get me wrong I know hours impound hours of training goes into this. That’s not included the sponsorship you get for fighting in the UFC …1000’s of dollars for sponsors…major brands, and fighter aren’t getting them in Yumma or other small company like the fighters get B/C of the UFC. This also isn’t a career that once you’re done that can’t get paid for your past. So many things you can do b/c you were in UFC. Open up gyms, train people, marketing, broadcasting, so on…your not being treated unfair.
33,333 a min can’t type
not to mention most of these guys train for free or get paid because they’re instructors that pull people into the gyms they train at. You know how many stoners go to team stockton because of the Diaz boys? Just go to their website, looks like the ghetto meets mma!!
chuck liddell made one million dollars promoting the movie 300 in one weekend. key ufc guys like key boxers make tons of money it is speculated chuck liddell makes around 6 million dollars per year and sometimes up to 9 million per year
I’m suprised you didn’t know this. Does everyone seriously think that lower tier boxers make as much as ODH?
There’s a reason there is no new blood in boxing, if you’re not at the to, you can’t make money.
If you consider that boxing has been around for 100’s of years as a legitimate sport, and MMA has only been around for the better part of 15-20 years and a mainstream sport for maybe 2 of those, then I can understand why the disparity in pay. Once MMA starts bringing in the big advertising and sponsorship dollars, I expect we’ll see a big bump in pay for marquee fighters fighting in championship bouts. People seem to forget that MMA is still in its infancy compared to boxing.
Something to take into account - boxers often fight more than MMA fighters. MMA is a much broader discipline and its athletes are more prone to injury.
MMA atheletes have to strength and condition their entire body, they have to endure unpadded strikes (kicks, elbows, knees) and survive submissions (armbars, leglocks).
More broken arms, sprains, etc.
Boxers tend not to get as many injuries and so they fight more often and more regularly.
I wish I could make as much as floyd mayweather. He has to be one of the highest paid athletes in the world. Hell he made 20 million for that stupid Wrestlemania stint.
He actually only made 2 million for that. Vince said that in an interview.
ive always wondered why fans care what these guys make. if they make 10 million a fight like some want, who do you think is gonna pay for it? dana white or his partners? NO, you are. 75 or 100 dollar PPV and $10000 ringside seats. i personally dont care who makes what whether its on TV or my mechanic. i only care what i have to pay.
very well put, ppv’s just went up 5 something…where do you think that money went??
People will always find something to complain about if MMA fighters were making 10 mill for a single fight everyone would be bitching on these forums about how they make too much money.
The PPV for boxing cost the same. How does Maywether make 20 mil a fight? More people buy a Maywether fight than the typical UFC PPV card. So he gets more.
the top ufc fighters are already getting over a $1 million a fight after all bonuses base salary and cut of ppv/gate receipts are tacked on
add to that a lot of cash from sponsors and other lines of work appearances films etc and a guy like chuck lidell is bringing home a huge annual pay packet…
it isnt at all suprising that undercard boxers dont make much money… noone knows who they are and very few people actually turn up earlier than the main event
in a ufc show most fans will watch from start to end of the televised bit and may well pay on ufc.com to see the prelims too
I live in the Houston area and I was listening to my local ESPN Radio station on the way home from work and Winkie Wright was on and they asked him what he thought about the UFC and MMA. He said that he is a big fan and that he wants the last fight of his career to be an MMA fight. He also said that he would like that fight to be the champion of the UFC. He said he currently weighs 185 and that would mean Anderson Silva if he is still the champ. Anderson would KO him from the Thai clinch in about 15 seconds and that would be the end. Winky is in for a rude awakening if he means what he says!
Well this can’t be right cause why is Randy got his panties all wadded up for then?
goddamn, georges pulled in half a million plus a hummer for one performance. he must be making retarded cash right now.
My whole thing is this, these young guys aren’t able to train properly because in order to train they must work a job. Yet when their performance is bad we throw them to the wolves. I think they should have a base pay of 15k per fight for these lower tier guys. I also don’t believe these top guys should be making a million a fight, but they should make great money. I don’t believe boxings pay is right, some of that top money, should have went to those lower guys.
right the lower tier fighters are paid v little but the lower tier mma fighters are fighting on the premier show the are not lower tier fighters! the boxing undercard guys are nobodys compare their wages to that of someone fighting on the undercard of the ifl and realise mma fighters cant make a living unless the hit the ufc or main events on another promotion
One thing that has been said is that ufc fighters spend a lot more money on coaches. a lot of top ufc fighters shell out a ton of their earnings on their ju-jitsu, mui thai, wrestlings, BOXING, and judo coaches. not to mention it is not unusual for fighters to make regular trips to brazil and thailand amoung other places for training. while on the other hand boxers, of course also spend money on trainng but not nearly as much.
Somebody should send this article to Randy and his Lawyers!!
mo money mo probelms
Its hard to deny. Being a boxing superstar pays more than being a ufc superstar
ask some of the big name boxers how much money Don King and other promoters take from the millions that these guys make. and if the money isnt good enough for them, find sometihng else to do. i find my boss pays me well enough (of course i always want more) and if i didnt find it enough i would have gone elsewhere. like these guys i had to pay money to educate and learn my trade so i could get better wages. no different in my mind
Ioleis a puppet of dana white and has helped with yahoo broadcasting ufc and other things he’s a pusssssyy press member thath never asks dana or the ufc tough questions he’s like the pres that interview pres bush
UFC makes alot of money on ppv and so does boxing.Why not give these guys a better salary because some of the undercards are better than the actual fights!SUCH GREED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!