Highest Paid UFC Fighters: Top 10 Career Earners Ranked

No commission has ever disclosed a Pereira UFC purse, so everything here is reported. Yahoo's roundup of published estimates puts him at about $932,000 for UFC 281 in November 2022 (including a $50,000 bonus), about $1.13 million for UFC 295, and more than $3.5 million for UFC 320 per BetMGM. DIRECTV's career estimate is $10.7 million.

The recent results back up the pay. At UFC 320 on October 4, 2025, he stopped Magomed Ankalaev in 80 seconds to regain the light heavyweight title. On June 14, 2026, at UFC Freedom 250 on the White House South Lawn, he lost by second-round TKO to Ciryl Gane. Even at a flat fee, being on that card was the biggest paycheck of his career.

The Georgia commission disclosed $350,000 flat for Adesanya at UFC 236 on April 13, 2019, when he beat Kelvin Gastelum for the interim middleweight title. That is the last confirmed number. Fightful estimates $11.5 million in UFC earnings; DIRECTV's figure is $18.6 million, which likely bakes in pay-per-view points from his title run.

The money is slowing down along with the results. He lost the belt to Dricus Du Plessis by fourth-round submission at UFC 305 on August 17, 2024, was knocked out by Nassourdine Imavov on February 1, 2025, and was stopped by Joe Pyfer in the second round on March 28, 2026.

Stockton's own. Nevada disclosed $2,000,000 for Diaz at UFC 202 on August 20, 2016, the majority-decision loss to McGregor that was the biggest disclosed payroll in UFC history at the time. He beat Tony Ferguson by submission at UFC 279 on September 10, 2022, in his last UFC fight, then lost a majority decision to Jorge Masvidal in a boxing match on July 6, 2024.

California disclosed $500,000 for his MVP MMA 1 fight against Mike Perry on May 16, 2026, which he lost by corner stoppage after two rounds. Perry got $400,000. DIRECTV estimates Diaz's career MMA earnings at $12.4 million, and it does not count his boxing paydays.

Nevada disclosed $600,000 for Silva at UFC 168 on December 28, 2013, the night he broke his leg against Chris Weidman (who got $400,000), and $600,000 again at UFC 200 on July 9, 2016 when he took a short-notice fight with Daniel Cormier. Front Office Sports puts his career disclosed earnings at $13.5 million.

Silva also stands to collect the biggest single check from the $375 million antitrust settlement, an estimated $10.3 million according to Uncrowned's analysis of the distribution formula. He confirmed his MMA retirement on March 17, 2026, after stopping Tyron Woodley in a December 2025 boxing match, and said any remaining fights would be boxing only.

Lesnar's UFC 200 purse of $2,500,000 with no win bonus, disclosed by Nevada on July 9, 2016, was an MMA record at the time. He beat Mark Hunt (who got $700,000) by decision, but the result was later changed to a no contest. At UFC 100 on July 11, 2009, he made $400,000 flat for beating Frank Mir.

The lists split hard on Lesnar: Fightful says $13.3 million in UFC earnings, Front Office Sports says $5.3 million. The difference is pay-per-view. Lesnar's 2009 contract, revealed in the antitrust case, paid $1,375,000 for title fights plus $2 for every buy over 700,000, and his cards sold. He returned to WWE at SummerSlam on August 3, 2025.

Nevada disclosed $400,000 for GSP at UFC 100, including a $200,000 win bonus for beating Thiago Alves. The court records tell the real story: $4.31 million for UFC 129 against Jake Shields, $4.12 million for UFC 158, and $3.56 million for UFC 167 against Johny Hendricks, a fight with a disclosed purse of $400,000.

St-Pierre said it himself, in a Wealthsimple Magazine interview: for the Michael Bisping fight at UFC 217 on November 4, 2017, with pay-per-view and sponsors, "I made about $10 million." Front Office Sports lists his career at $10.95 million on disclosed money alone, which is clearly the floor, not the total.

Rousey's first UFC contract in November 2012 paid $45,000 to show and $45,000 to win. By UFC 207 on December 30, 2016, Nevada disclosed $3,000,000 flat for her 48-second loss to Amanda Nunes, tying McGregor's record. Court records show she actually took home between $4.88 million and $5.58 million that night, and $4.48 million to $4.54 million for the Holly Holm loss at UFC 193.

Her final contract paid $3 million base for title fights plus $1 to $4 per pay-per-view buy on a sliding scale. Then came the comeback. California disclosed $2,200,000 flat for her 17-second armbar of Gina Carano at MVP MMA 1 on May 16, 2026 at the Intuit Dome. Carano got $1,050,000, and Netflix said the fight peaked at 11.6 million US viewers.

Nevada disclosed $500,000 flat for Jones at UFC 239 on July 6, 2019, the split decision over Thiago Santos. The antitrust records show $3.64 million for UFC 182 against Daniel Cormier (disclosed: $500,000) and $2.68 million for UFC 197. Fightful estimates $17.2 million in career UFC earnings; DIRECTV says $17.8 million.

Jones's last fight was UFC 309 on November 16, 2024 at Madison Square Garden, a third-round TKO of Stipe Miocic. Dana White announced his retirement on June 21, 2025. Since then Jones has said he turned down $30 million to fight Tom Aspinall, said the UFC "wouldn't budge one dollar over $15m" for an Alex Pereira fight on the White House card, requested his release on March 9, 2026, and in April told reporters "I'm not sure if I'm retired or not."

Khabib's only commission-disclosed purse is the big one: $2,000,000 with no win bonus for submitting McGregor at UFC 229 on October 6, 2018. Nevada initially withheld the check while it investigated the post-fight brawl. Fightful and Front Office Sports both list his UFC earnings at $22.9 million.

The Abu Dhabi fights were never disclosed, but The Sports Daily reported $6.09 million for UFC 242 in September 2019 and the Daily Mail reported roughly $6 million for UFC 254 on October 24, 2020, where he submitted Justin Gaethje in the second round and retired at 29-0. Both are media reports, not commission numbers. He has not fought since.

McGregor set the disclosed purse record at $3,000,000 for UFC 202, matched it at UFC 229, and got $3,000,000 flat for a 40-second TKO of Donald Cerrone at UFC 246 on January 18, 2020. Court records show the disclosed number was a fraction of reality: $5.62 million for UFC 202 and $6.81 million for UFC 205 against Eddie Alvarez.

Forbes credited him with $99 million for the 2018 list, including $85 million for the Mayweather fight, and $180 million for 2021, when he topped the entire athlete list on the strength of the $150 million Proper No. Twelve sale. Forbes put his UFC 264 payday at $33 million. Fightful counts $39.3 million in UFC purses; DIRECTV's all-in estimate is $114 million.

His return at UFC 329 on July 11, 2026 at T-Mobile Arena lasted 69 seconds: a knee injury on a jumping kick handed Max Holloway a TKO win. His manager Audie Attar said beforehand that McGregor would earn "multiples over anybody in the UFC." Nobody in the sport is close.