How much is a UFC championship belt worth?
UFC championship belt is estimated to cost as much as $333,000. UFC championship belts are made of gold with each leather belt needing around 2 pounds of the precious metal for decorations. The UFC also sells gold plated replica belts to the public, which are priced at $1000 approximately.
The UFC Championship belt is 50in long, weighs 5.5lbs and has 16 solid brass straps. It also includes a velvet zippered carrying case to protect it from damage.
Speaking on an episode of his own podcast in 2019, former UFC middleweight champion Michael Bisping shed some light on the price of UFC Championship belts. According to Bisping, former light heavyweight champion Rashad Evans once told him about the price of UFC championship belts. Bisping said:
Rashad Evans, former champion, has a belt at home. He was having a conversation with Dana White, Dana White told him that the old belts, the ones that we have, are worth $300,000 each.
New policy with the UFC Championship belt
This valuation could be a possible reason for the UFC changing its belt gifting policy in 2019. The UFC stopped gifting a shiny new belt for each successful title defense post-2019 and also brought in a new design for the belt. Defending champions now receive a new stone in the title plate for each title defense.
While confirming the price of UFC championship belts, Michael Bisping continued:
That’s what Dana White told Rashad Evans. Mine’s just been gathering dust back there. There’s another one in the other room just gathering dust, if I’d known they were worth $600,000 between them I might get them insured for one and then they get stolen … I’m joking
Though the exact price of the new design is still unknown, the price of the belt might certainly be a reason for the change in policy about the granting belts at title defenses. However, the former UFC champion can boast of having multiple belts in store. Former UFC flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson received 10 UFC title belts.
Michael Bisping further talked about his belts-
I might at least put them in some kind of case and keep the dust off of them. Apparently Rashad Evans swears they’re worth $300,000 apiece. Which, yeah, I was happy. That’s good to know