5 current UFC stars who we didn't know were millionaires
The UFC is home to many of the world's most renowned MMA fighters. It is also home to a few millionaires. These athletes have staked their claim to fame and glory following difficult personal and professional journeys. Once a fighter becomes a champion, stardom and big bucks tend to follow quickly.
With only a handful of fighters in possession of UFC gold, it is easy to overlook ones who are yet to win the title but are already millionaires. It is also interesting to see UFC fighters become millionaires despite having a relatively low profile in the MMA organization. On that note, let's take a look at five such UFC stars who are millionaires.
#5 Cyril Gane
Cyril Gane started his MMA career in 2018 and made his UFC debut just a year later. He fought briefly in a Canadian MMA promotion, TKO, before entering the UFC. With nine fights on his resume so far (six in the UFC), the French heavyweight fighter is yet to be defeated.
Having started his MMA career at the age of 28, 'Bon Gamin' does not strike one as a millionaire on face value. Before starting as a full-blown MMA fighter, Cyril Gane was a kickboxer and has a perfect record of 7-0. He was coached by Fernand Lopez, who was also a mentor to UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou.
Cyril Gane's net worth, according to Players Bio, is somewhere between $3-4 million. He received a paycheque for $186,000 in his most recent UFC bout against Alexander Volkov.
While his career earnings are not well-documented, Cyril Gane does come from an affluent background, and that makes him a UFC millionaire. Gane's father is reportedly a former player in the French football pyramid's sixth division, which played a factor in the sporting talent being passed on to Cyril.
'Bon Gamin' started his professional career in combat sports as a Muay Thai kickboxer in 2016. In his first fight, Gane defeated Jeremy Jeanne to become the AFMT heavyweight champion. He went on to defend his title against MMA veterans like K-1 championship runner-up Brice Guidon. Two years and seven pro fights later, Cyril Gane remained undefeated.
He made his MMA debut in 2018 with TKO and won the heavyweight championship via first-round submission. Having seen unfettered success since Day 1 of his MMA career, Cyril Gane has also enjoyed unparalleled riches.
#4 Rose Namajunas
After spending a little less than a year at Invicta FC, Rose Namajunas made her UFC debut in 2014. Three years later, 'Thug' Rose defeated Joanna Jedrzejczyk to win the UFC strawweight title.
She lost her title to Jessica Andrade in 2019 but won it back after KO'ing Zhang Weili in the second minute of round one at UFC 261. In doing so, Rose Namajunas became the first female fighter in the UFC to regain a championship belt after losing it.
'Thug' also holds the record for most stoppage wins in the UFC strawweight division (five). She is also one of a very few female UFC millionaires from the current roster.
According to Media Referee, Rose Namajunas has a net worth of approximately $1 million. In a sport where female fighters are not bestowed with as much fame and glory as their male counterparts, $1 million is an impressive figure.
Rose's earnings are predominantly from her MMA career, as she does not own any notable business ventures. According to The Sports Daily, her estimated career earning in the UFC is $1,342,500.
Also Read: 3 things every Rose Namajunas fan needs to know.
#3 Michael Chandler
Before making his UFC debut in 2021, Michael Chandler fought in Bellator MMA for a decade. He is a former three-time lightweight champion in the promotion and is a millionaire. Just after his UFC debut, Chandler earned a title shot against Charles Oliveira. However, 'Iron' lost the title shot via TKO in round two.
Michael Chandler has a net worth of $2 million, though some sources estimate that to be way higher. 'Iron' has revealed that money was not the sole motivation behind him joining the UFC. He said:
"The UFC is where I wanted to land, for sure, but you are not making a smart business decision as a free agent unless you at least entertain all the offers. It wasn't the best, but it was more of a competition thing. I've made decisions on financial incentives many times. It worked out for me for a long time in Bellator."
It would be wrong to consider Michael Chandler as a UFC millionaire, as he made his debut in the promotion in 2021 only.
However, apart from earning nearly a million from his time at Bellator MMA, 'Iron' has made a fortune during the short stint he has had in the UFC. Chandler earned a total of $842,000 ($500,000 to show, $42,000 sponsorship bonus, $300,000 PPV bonus) at UFC 262 itself.
#2 Kevin Holland
Kevin Holland made his UFC debut in 2018 after making a mark in Dana White's Contender Series 9.
He is known for his striking, has 12 KO/ TKO wins in his MMA career and is a UFC millionaire. Nicknamed the 'Trail Blazer', Holland quickly rose through the UFC middleweight rankings after tying the record for most wins in a calendar year (five in 2020).
Kevin Holland is a promising middleweight fighter and is ranked No. 14 in the UFC. He faced a setback after losing two successive fights in 2021, doing so against Derek Brunson and Marvin Vettori. Despite all the setbacks in his professional MMA career, Holland makes it to our list of improbable UFC millionaires.
Kevin Holland's net worth is estimated to be $1 million. A key reason for Holland being a UFC millionaire at the age of 28 is that he has fought 12 times in a period of three years. His biggest pay-out came at UFC 256 against Ronaldo Souza, estimated at $255,000 (base salary of $100,000, win bonus $100,000, performance bonus of $50,000 and endorsements worth $5,000).
#1 Jiri Prochazka
Jiri Prochazka is the inaugural Rizin FF light heavyweight champion and also the inaugural Czech GCF light heavyweight champion. The former Muay Thai kickboxer is one of the deadliest prospects in MMA and the No. 2 light heavyweight fighter in the UFC.
Since making his UFC debut in 2020, Jiri Prochazka has defeated Volkan Oezdemir and Dominick Reyes via KO. In his 28 career wins, 'Denisa' has secured 25 KO/ TKO finishes.
Jiri Prochazka is believed to have a net worth of $1 million, but his millionaire stature is because of his time at Rizin FF in Japan. Now that he is in the UFC, the pay-outs are going to make sure that Prochazka remains a millionaire.
The Czech fighter made $154,000 for defeating Oezdemir on his UFC debut. After defeating Dominick Reyes at UFC Vegas 25, Jiri Prochazka took home a whopping $284,000 after picking up two bonuses ($90,000 to show, $90,000 to win, $100,000 in bonus and $4,000 through endorsements).
Also Read: 3 reasons why Jiri Prochazka is box office gold