The Independent Voice of Mixed Martial Arts
The total disclosed payroll for UFC 96 that took place on March 7 at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio, was $762,000. Number one light heavyweight contender, Quinton Jackson was the big winner of the night, taking home $225,000 plus a $100,000 win bonus for a total of $325,000.
In stark contrast to Jackson’s salary, the low man on the totem pole was Ryan Madigan. He received a flat $3,000 to lose to “the Barn Cat.”
The Affliction M-1 Global: Day of Reckoning disclosed fighter salaries totaled in excess of three million dollars. This is just the disclosed base pay; there are sponsorships and most likely other bonuses (especially for Fedor) that are not included in these numbers. Andrei Arlovski may not have won inside the ring against Fedor, but he was the big winner of the night when it came to money, taking home a whopping 1.5 million dollars.
MAIN EVENT FIGHTERS
– Fedor Emelianenko $300,000 (no win bonus) def. Andre Arlovski $1,500,000 (win bonus would have been $250,000)
The official numbers have been released for UFC 92: Ultimate 2008 and Quinton “Rampage” Jackson walked away with the biggest paycheck of $325,000 for his efforts against Wanderlei Silva.
While the pay scale does include win bonuses, it does not include the infamous UFC locker room bonuses or Fight of the Night and Knockout bonuses.
Rampage’s purse of $325,000 only includes his base pay and win bonus. In addition, he also walked away with a ‘KO of the Night’ $60,000 for knocking out Silva in the first round.