While the discrepancy between the highest and lowest paid UFC fighters is still huge, some managed to amass huge wealth, mainly from the fighting game.
Here’s a ranked list of the 30 richest UFC fighters of all time as of 2021.
We’re talking about their net worth, including sponsorships, endorsements, and all other sources of income, not only their UFC salaries.
The numbers are approximate, and small differences from the real net worth are possible, as all sources of income aren’t usually publicly disclosed.
30. Mauricio “Shogun” Rua – $6.5 million
Coming in at number 30 is the former UFC light heavyweight champion and recent UFC Hall of Fame inductee Mauricio Shogun Rua. It was a close call between Rua and Daniel Cormier, but Shogun is still estimated to be worth a bit more at around $6.5 million.
The legendary Brazilian is still an active fighter despite an alleged retirement in early 2021. He amassed most of his wealth fighting in MMA and taking sponsorship deals, endorsements, TV appearances, etc. He was also a model before taking on professional MMA, and he certainly has life in MMA after he stops actively competing.
29. Forrest Griffin – $8 million
Forrest Griffin is one of the most influential MMA figures in the late 2000s, being the light heavyweight champion for a while and competing against some of the biggest UFC stars at the time, including Rampage Jackson, Tito Ortiz, Mauricio Rua, Rashad Evans, etc.
Griffin got most of his money during his fighting career, including various sponsorships, commercial appearances, etc. He’s estimated at around $8 million net worth.
Griffin is a UFC Hall of Famer, and since his fighting career finished, he worked as the Vice President of Athlete Development at the UFC PI (Performance Institute), which I’m sure helped tons of fighters reach their full potential learning from the guy who reached his.
28. Urijah Faber – $8 million
Although he was technically never a UFC champion, Urijah Faber is the guy many fans find responsible for legitimizing lighter weight classes in MMA. He was the WEC featherweight champion for nearly three years before the UFC merger, and he remained one of the most popular fighters to this day.
His net worth of $8 million comes largely from fighting and sponsorship deals, but he also works as one of the head coaches in Team Alpha Male and had numerous TV appearances and other endorsements to make his pockets even thicker.
He’s still an active fidget on paper and will likely make his return to the octagon in 2021 after every one of his planned fights in 2020 fell through.
27. Nate Diaz – $8 million
While it’s hard to say just how much Nate Diaz is worth due to all his activities and undisclosed income outside of the UFC, it’s safe to say that number is somewhere between $8 and $11 million. Diaz is among the highest-paid UFC fighters on the current roster (and all-time), and MMA is his main source of wealth.
However, Diaz knows how to use his MMA popularity for other purposes, racking numerous endorsement deals and sponsorships. Also, he opened a CBD production company with his brother Nick (both are vocal cannabis advocates) that’s making strides in the business, which means Diaz’s net worth will only rise regardless of how often he fights in the UFC.
26. Dan Henderson – $8 million
In many MMA fans’ opinion, Dan Henderson is the best UFC fighter ever not to hold the belt at any point. Still, his spectacular skills and relentless attitude made him one of the most beloved MMA fighters ever. Also, he got paid incredibly well compared to other non-champion UFC fighters, which is the main source of his $8 million net worth.
Apart from MMA, Dan is a Hall of Fame Wrestler in the American National Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum.
Hendo also appeared in several TV shows and had cameo roles in some movies, but the reason why his wealth keeps growing long after his fighting days is the Dan Henderson’s Athletic Fitness Center, which he owns and operates.
25. Rashad Evans – $8.5 million
When talking about Rashad Evans, most people remember him for his spectacular knockout over Forrest Griffin to become the UFC light heavyweight champion. Suga got paid around $5 million for his MMA career, excluding endorsements, sponsorship deals, and PPV cuts.
Today, Evans is a retired MMA fighter worth around $8.5 million due to his fighting career and several acting gigs, TV show appearances, MMA analyst, and commentator position on the show MMA Live on ESPN, etc.
24. Michael Bisping – $9 million
The Count had a long, illustrious UFC career that made him one of the highest-paid MMA fighters of all time. The crown of his career came pretty late when he won the UFC middleweight title. Although he got some nice money while fighting, his income is far wider than the octagon.
Bisping is developing a career as an actor. He already appeared in several high-production shows and movies, such as the newest installment of xXx, MacGyver, the new version of Twin Peaks, and the successful action movie Den of thieves.
Along with his newfound love and career as a commentator and analyst for the UFC, all that got Michael’s worth at around $9 million, which is well enough to be on the list of the richest UFC fighters ever.
23. Jose Aldo – $9 million
If anybody deserves the cash they got from competing inside that cage, it’s the legendary former UFC featherweight champion, Jose Aldo. He’s worth around $9 million, and most of the money he amassed came from fighting.
He came from a modest background and dreamed of becoming a football player, but he got beaten up on the streets one too many times and decided to learn martial arts to defend himself. Luckily, he did and became one of the best MMA fighters of all time and one of the richest.
22. Eddie Alvarez – $10 million
Eddie Alvarez was once considered to be a top 3 lightweight MMA fighter in the world, behind Conor McGregor and Khabib Nurmagomedov. While I wouldn’t go that far, he was and still is a spectacular fighter.
He made most of his money in the cage, be it in the UFC or ONE Championship, where he ended up after parting ways with the UFC. His total net worth of around $10 million comes mostly from the fight game, but Eddie sure knows how to use his popularity to boost it even further.
He has a huge social media follower base, so he does many brand endorsements and sort of social-media influencing, which I’m sure he gets paid tons of money to do. He’s still an active fighter, too, so his net worth might still go up.
21. Matt Hughes – $10 million
If you don’t know who Matt Hughes is, you’ve probably been around MMA for only a couple of years. He’s one of the most dominant UFC champions of all time, wiping out the entire welterweight division before BJ Penn and Georges St-Pierre showed up.
He is worth around $10 million today and has numerous sources of income to pad that number even further. He has a successful coaching career, became a UFC Hall of Famer, and published an autobiography in 2008 that was the #12 New York Times bestseller.
He recently made headlines due to a horrible accident that he barely survived and an ugly divorce from his wife. She filed a restraining order against Matt due to alleged violent outbursts. [1]
20. Donald Cowboy Cerrone – $10 million
Donald Cowboy Cerrone is well-known as the people’s champ. Although he never won a UFC belt, he is one of the most active fighters in UFC history and the holder of the most UFC record, including most wins, most finishes, most bouts, etc. All those fight purses accumulated to a nice amount that made Cerrone worth $10 million.
Most of his profits came from fighting and being active and from fight bonuses, breaking records, winning awards, and having numerous endorsement and sponsorship deals throughout his career. Most notably, his partnership with Monster Energy, which you could see him chugging after fights while still in the octagon.
19. Junior dos Santos – $10 million
If you look at a list of the highest-paid UFC fighters in history, you’ll notice that Junior dos Santos is high up on that list. That’s why it’s no wonder he’s on the list of the richest UFC fighters, too, standing at around $10 million net worth. However, his money didn’t come solely from fighting.
Cigano competed in the UFC’s pre-Reebok era, while fighters were still allowed to own in-octagon sponsorships. He made some nice money back then, but even after Reebok took over as the official apparel sponsor, Junior continued to make money outside the octagon.
He’s coaching young fighters at the ATT, and he was never shy to appear on TV, too, including the Brazilian version of Dancing with the stars. Although he’s not in the UFC anymore, he might still fight elsewhere, possibly for even more money.
18. Jon Jones – $10 million
It’s hard to fully disclose Jon Jones’ net worth due to his PPV percentages never being disclosed publicly, but it’s estimated that Bones is currently standing at about $10 to $11 million. That includes endorsement deals, sponsorships, social media branding, TV appearances, etc.
I honestly believe he would be the highest-paid MMA fighter ever right next to Conor McGregor hadn’t he lost sponsorships – and his UFC job – after cocaine abuse, a hit-and-run incident, and a failed drug test that put a stain on his name and brand as the best MMA fighter in history.
17. Chael Sonnen – $10.5 million
It’s a weird world where Chael Sonnen’s estimated net worth is higher than Jon Jones’, right? Well, it’s true because The Bad Guy stands at around $10.5 million. He made a lot of money fighting, but what made him rich is his extravagant attitude that works perfectly on TV.
He’s done tons of TV show appearances, MMA commentator, and analyst gigs, and he hosts his brand, podcast show called Bad Guy Inc. The brand and show have a huge viewership on social media and sell tons of merchandise, including t-shirts, coffee, etc.
Sonnen is also a coach for young MMA fighters, and whether you love him or hate him, nobody can deny his extent MMA knowledge.
16. Frank Mir – $11 million
If anybody had a colorful career outside the UFC, it’s Frank Mir. His worth of $11 million mainly comes from fighting, but he’s earned so much outside the octagon as well. He appeared in several Hollywood movies, including a couple with Steven Seagal, to begin with.
He’s also worked as a bouncer in Las Vegas, UFC’s Head of Security, had some pro-wrestling stints, and also done a professional boxing match on the undercard of the recent Jake Paul vs. Ben Askren event. To add to everything, he’s worked as an MMA color commentator for over a decade for the WEC, Bellator, and ACB, along with numerous TV show appearances.
Adding all that together, it’s not hard to see how Mir can be worth $11 million despite not fighting in the octagon for nearly two years.
15. Yoel Romero – $12 million
The fantastic beast Yoel Romero never won a UFC title, but he was a force to be reckoned with for years in UFC’s middleweight division. He amassed a nice chunk of change through his career, making him worth around $12 million today.
He’s done many sponsorships, branding, and other endorsements, especially since his move to Bellator MMA. He also appeared in multiple TV shows, most notably a reality show called the Exathlon, which features athletes from all kinds of sports that compete in obstacle courses and other physical challenges.
14. Quinton Rampage Jackson – $12 million
During his UFC and MMA career, Quinton Rampage Jackson was one of the biggest stars due to his skills and monster-like stature. He made a lot of money over the years inside the cage, but his net worth rose after his MMA career.
Rampage became a TV personality and starred in several high-profile movies, including Fire with Fire starring Bruce Willis. Some estimates have him at around $12 million, while others have him at only $5 million, but one thing is certain – he’s one of the richest UFC fighters ever.
13. Chuck Liddell – $12 million
Chuck Liddell has been a UFC superstar before UFC superstars were a thing. At the time of his prime fighting years, he made incredible amounts of money compared to other fighters of his era.
He used his name and popularity for other business endeavors, investments, sponsorship deals, and similar partnerships that eventually earned him a whopping net worth of around $12 million.
The Iceman also does some coaching and TV appearances, and he even fought professionally once again recently only to lose to his biggest career rival, Tito Ortiz.
12. Ronda Rousey – $13 million
The only female fighter on this list is Ronda Rousey, but in case you don’t remember, this woman was the face of the UFC for years and kept the entire promotion afloat when it desperately needed stars and PPV sales.
She made a lot more money during her MMA career than other female UFC fighters, but the only huge purse she ever pocketed was in her last fight against Amanda Nunes. Still, she has done some pro-wrestling (WWE) stints, dozens of TV appearances, and some acting gigs (including roles in big movies like Fast & Furious 7).
Ultimately, she makes tons of money as a social media influencer with millions of followers and tons of branding partnerships.
11. Alistair Overeem – $15 million
The legendary Alistair Overeem made most of his money fighting for the UFC, but don’t forget he was a star long before coming to the MMA’s elite promotion. He’s estimated to be worth around $15 million, although some predictions have that number a bit lower.
Still, The Reem was one of the highest-paid UFC fighters despite never being the champion, simply because his name is so big not only in the USA but the entire world. He’s done some coaching, dozens of TV appearances, and has no plans on retiring even though he is no longer a part of the UFC.
10. Randy Couture – $17 million
One of the MMA and UFC pioneers turned into one of the sport’s biggest stars – and one of the richest UFC fighters in the world. Randy Couture stopped fighting years ago, but the Hall of Famers legendary career got him loads of money and loads of other opportunities he smartly took.
His net worth in 2021 sums up to a staggering $17 million. A lot of that came directly from UFC paychecks (or stemmed from the fight game, such as sponsors, endorsement deals, etc.). However, Couture is well-known as an actor as well, most notably starring in The Expendables trilogy with the biggest action stars such as Stallone, Lundgren, Schwarzenegger, Willis, etc.
9. Wanderlei Silva – $18 million
Wanderlei Silva was a superstar in the UFC and other huge MMA promotions, most notably the Japanese Pride. His career has been full of ups and downs, but nobody ever denied how incredible he was as a fighter and as a person.
His career got him to a staggering $18 million net worth, coming from fighting and some acting, pursuing a career in politics, and other income sources such as a biography book about him written in 2020.
Also, he makes a lot from his Wand Fight Team and MMA training organization that he leads from 2009 until today.
8. Anderson Silva – $18 million
Yet another Brazilian superstar on this list, Anderson Silva, might be the best MMA fighter of all time. Although he started earning big bucks in the UFC only after losing the title, the fight game, and some other investments and endeavors, he amassed $18 million, making him one of the richest MMA fighters in history.
He has his gym in Brazil and has done countless TV appearances and brand sponsorships, all summing up to that big net worth.
7. Tito Ortiz – $20 million
Tito Ortiz was Chuck Liddell’s biggest rival, and Chuck usually got the better of him. Still, Ortiz made more money throughout his career, with a pinnacle at $20 million right now in 2021. However, most of that money didn’t come from fighting. Tito is a fantastic businessman and also ventured into politics in his home town Huntington Beach.
He’s the CEO of Punishment Athletics MMA, a mixed martial arts equipment and clothing company located in Huntington Beach. He also became the Mayor pro tempore of his town after getting elected to the city council but resigned only six months later due to other obligations.
6. BJ Penn – $22 million
As if BJ Penn needs any more recognition as one of the best MMA fighters ever to step into the octagon, he’s also one of the richest and most influential UFC fighters of all time, with a net worth of around $22 million.
All that wealth came from the fighting game primarily, but also great investments, acting in some movies, coaching, and two books he authored that were in the top 30 Yew York Times bestsellers once they hit the shelves.
5. Brock Lesnar – $25 million
You might not like Brock Lesnar as a UFC or MMA fighter, but you better give him respect when it comes to using his name and colossal frame to make money. Lesnar was one of the highest-paid UFC fighters ever, even though he only fought in the promotion eight times.
His $25 million net worth primarily comes from his huge career in the WWE. He’s done many branding and sponsorships, along with some acting, and he breaks the top five on the list of the richest UFC fighters ever.
4. Georges St-Pierre – $30 million
If there was ever a guy that knew how to manage his career and pull all the right moves at the right times, it’s Georges St-Pierre. Perhaps fans didn’t like those moves sometimes, but he went down as one of the greatest MMA fighters of all time, and one of the richest, too, with a colossal net worth of $30 million.
Apart from MMA fighting, GSP got his money through coaching, huge endorsement deals, and most recently, acting in A-production Hollywood movies and TV shows – most recently, Marvel’s huge TV show The Falcon and The Winter Soldier. His role wasn’t that big, but I’m sure the paycheck was.
3. Khabib Nurmagomedov – $40 million
I couldn’t be happier that Khabib Nurmagomedov finally got the money he deserves being one of the best (if not the best) pound-for-pound MMA fighters of all time. He was never disrespectful. He just worked hard, did everything right, and got to 29-0 in his career.
His last two UFC fights got him $6 million apiece – and that’s only the disclosed purse, without his PPV percentages. When you combine that with some big sponsorship deals and other endeavors (such as his clothing line, etc.), it’s no wonder that the Dagestani prodigy is worth around $40 million in 2021.
That makes him the second richest fighter in UFC history. How is he number three on the list then, you might ask? The answer – is our number two.
2. Rorion Gracie – $50 million
If there weren’t for Rorion Gracie, there would never be any UFC. Although he never fought in the promotion himself, he was the one that put it all together along with some partners. Rorion is the head of the world-renowned Gracie family, the most famous BJJ experts in the world.
Rorion got his wealth by introducing Gracie/Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu to the world. Also, he’s one of the best coaches and martial arts instructors ever, and he’s written several bestselling books, including the Gracie Diet.
He’s also a producer and many other things, amassing him a spectacular $50 million. I know he was never technically a UFC fighter, but not having him on this list would be blasphemous.
1. Conor McGregor – $200 million
A $200 million net worth estimate of Conor McGregor is modest. He was worth $181 million in 2020, and some estimates have him at $300 million right now, but most of his income hasn’t been disclosed to the public.
The guy is the highest-paid UFC fighter ever – by far, and the highest-paid athlete in the world according to Forbes, despite only fighting once in 2020 and once (so far) in 2021. [2]
Most of his money came from his incredible skills as a businessman. He sold his character throughout his career and didn’t give a single beep if somebody liked it or not.
His sponsorship deals are among the wealthiest in the world. He’s got his clothing line, and among the sea of his investments, his Proper Twelve Irish Whiskey stands out as the most profitable.
