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Average UFC Salary

By Evan Wolff

Conor McGregor is the highest-paid fighter in UFC the MMA world at large.
Conor McGregor is the highest-paid fighter in UFC the MMA world at large. / Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images

Mixed martial arts is surely one of the most difficult sports in which to become a professional and remain one. Your entire career resides on your ability to take a hit and consistently win in fights, but even then, career and financial success is not strictly guaranteed. It often takes a truly big break even to make it to the UFC, the biggest promotion in the game.

So, when you get to the Ultimate Fighting Championship, do you immediately make a substantial stack of cash? That answer depends on how you look at the numbers, as there is a lucrative path to become a highly-paid fighter, but some don't make enough money to pay the bills and fight full-time.

How Much Does the Average UFC Fighter Make Per Year?

The Street's Brian O'Connell, citing industry figures, pegs the average anual UFC fighter salary at $138,000 as of the fall of 2019. Sounds promising, right? It is until you realize that nearly 37% of the UFC roster make less than the average American household, which is about $45,000 per year, O'Connell writes. In this case, the median UFC fighter salary -- a number that's tough to pin down given the consistent changes in the athlete roster month to month -- is clearly far lower than the mean.

For so many, this is a tough lifestyle to tough out.

But why is there such a difference in fighter salaries? Why is the mean salary so high by comparison? Simply put, the top fighters make so much money that it skews the data. While the household names have made millions of their fighting careers, others are struggling to keep their careers going.

So, how money have the top UFC fighters made? Here is a list of the top 10, as compiled by MMA Manifesto at the end of 2019, keeping in mind that official fight purse information was not made public before UFC 46 back in 2004.

Fighters With Highest Career Earnings in UFC History

10. Brock Lesnar ($5.1 Million)
9. Vitor Belfort ($5.1 Million)
8. Daniel Cormier ($6.6 Million)
7. Alistair Overeem ($6.1 Million)
6. Donald Cerrone ($6.14 Million)
5. Mark Hunt ($6.4 Million)
4. Anderson Silva ($7 Million)
3. Georges St. Pierre ($7 Million)
2. Michael Bisping ($7.1 Million)
1. Conor McGregor ($9 Million)