10 highest-paid UFC fighters today, ranked
The UFC is the premier MMA promotion in the world. Thus, the highest-paid mixed martial artists typically fight under Dana White's banner. Throughout MMA history, the most well-known fighters have been credited with breaking down barriers for others. Urijah Faber, for example, is known for popularizing the smaller divisions that are celebrated as the deepest weight classes today.
Others, however, are responsible for setting different benchmarks. Chael Sonnen set the tone for modern-day trash-talking in the mixed martial arts world, while Brock Lesnar set the stage for future crossover stars whose massive appeal transcended the sport and captured the imagination of mainstream media. Thus, it stands to reason that, during his heyday, Lesnar was the highest-paid MMA fighter.
Today's roster features a man who has carried that torch for years now, as Conor McGregor has helmed MMA's most lucrative pay-per-view events for some time. No other fighter earns as much as the Irishman, but there are those on the roster who come close. While official payouts for UFC events are often not released, calculated guesses have been made for public information.
This list aims to leverage that information and examine the top ten highest-paid active UFC fighters on the promotion's roster based on their 2021-22 earnings.
#10. Amanda Nunes
Former UFC women's bantamweight champion and current women's featherweight champion Amanda Nunes is widely regarded as the greatest women's MMA fighter of all time. She is a well-rounded mixed martial artist with unrivaled punching power, crippling low kicks, long reach, and good offensive Brazilian jiu-jitsu.
While the Brazilian great is yet to fight in 2022, she is currently scheduled to face the woman who snapped her long twelve-fight win streak: Julianna Peña. In one of the most shocking upsets in MMA history, Peña forced Nunes to tap out to a rear-naked choke with no hooks after outlasting the former bantamweight champion.
In her UFC 269 loss to Peña, Nunes reportedly earned $1 million (according to www.thesportsgrail.com and www.totalsportal.com). Her previous bout with Megan Anderson netted her a salary of $490,000 (per www.thesportsdaily.com).
#9. Max Holloway
Max 'Blessed' Holloway is a fighter beloved by many. He is a former featherweight champion who was once on one of the longest win streaks the promotion has ever seen. Unfortunately for the Hawaiian legend, he ultimately relinquished his featherweight championship to Alexander Volkanovski in 2019.
After suffering a second but controversial loss to the Australian, 'Blessed' was forced to build his way back into title contention. At UFC on ABC, he faced Calvin Kattar in one of the most spectacular performances in the history of the octagon. The victory reportedly earned Holloway $470,000 (according to www.mmasalaries.com) after taking his show and win purses into account.
His subsequent win over Yair Rodriguez reportedly earned him $491,000 (per www.thesportsdaily.com) due to his $210,000 show money, his $210,000 win bonus, his $50,000 Fight of the Night bonus, and $21,000 in fight week incentive pay. Combined with the $600,000 (according to www.surprisesports.com) he earned in his recent loss to Alexander Volkanovski, the Hawaiian has made well over $1 million thus far.
While Holloway has likey pocketed greater sums of money during his time as a champion due to pay-per-view points, only his 2021-22 earnings are being taken into account for this article.