If you’re planning on stepping into a caged, octagonal ring to trade blows, get thrown and try to break another person’s bones or choke them out, it’s reasonable to expect to be paid a hefty sum of money for your… err… trouble.
And when the sport that this sort of competition occurs in, mixed martial arts, is one of the fastest-growing sports worldwide, there’s even more of an expectation to make this sort of risky business worth it for the fighters. No organization in combat sports is more synonymous with MMA than Dana White’s Ultimate Fighting Championship, and the fighters who sign with the UFC generally make the most money in the ring.
Which fighters have leveraged their fists, feet and martial arts prowess into a serious payday? Let’s take a look at the highest-paid UFC fighters of all time and their fight earnings.
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Top 50 Highest-Paid UFC Fighters of All Time
So, who are the highest-paid UFC fighters ever?
The top dog is no surprise here: Connor McGregor is easily the highest-paid UFC fighter of all time. McGregor, who spent much of the past decade as the face of the UFC and is one of the most successful fighters to ever step into the octagon, has hauled in over $114 million over the course of his fighting career.
McGregor was also the recipient of the second-highest payout for a single fight in UFC history, earning nearly $7 million when he beat Eddie Alvarez to become the first person to ever hold two simultaneous titles in UFC history. (The single largest payout ever went to Brock Lesnar, the WWE superstar who was paid $8 million to fight Mark Hunt.)
No other UFC fighter to date has broken the $100 million mark, and while that’s still not quite as lofty as what some of the most legendary boxers have made (Floyd Mayweather grossed over $1 billion, for instance), McGregor’s earnings far exceed those of his next closest rival, Francis Ngannou.
Ngannou is the leading member of a select club of the highest-paid UFC fighters who have made more than $15 million from mixed martial arts matches. The others are:
- Khabib Nurmagomedov
- Israel Adesanya
- Jon “Bones” Jones
- Dustin Poirier (recently retired)
Nurmagomedov and Poirier both had high-profile rivalries with McGregor.
Of the fighters who have made less than $15 million but more than $10 million, Amanda Nunes leads the way at $12.8 million, making her the highest-paid female UFC fighter ever. This tier also features some household names in MMA, including Daniel Cormier, Nate Diaz, Kamaru Usman, Sean O’Malley, Max Holloway and Alex Pereira. The latter three are currently among the best and most well-known active fighters in the league.
Here are the top 50 highest-paid UFC fighters in the history of the league:
| Fighter | Total Career Earnings |
| Conor McGregor | $114M |
| Francis Ngannou | $33.8M |
| Khabib Nurmagomedov | $21.7M |
| Israel Adesanya | $18.6M |
| Jon Jones | $17.8M |
| Dustin Poirier | $16M |
| Amanda Nunes | $12.8M |
| Daniel Cormier | $12.5M |
| Nate Diaz | $12.4M |
| Alexander Volkanovski | $12.3M |
| Kamaru Usman | $12.1M |
| Charles Oliveira | $10.8M |
| Alex Pereira | $10.7M |
| Sean O’Malley | $10.7M |
| Alistair Overeem | $10.4M |
| Jose Aldo | $10.3M |
| Max Holloway | $9.3M |
| Justin Gaethje | $9.2M |
| Stipe Miocic | $8.1M |
| Donald Cerrone | $8.1M |
| Islam Makhachev | $7.5M |
| Jorge Masvidal | $7.3M |
| Leon Edwards | $7.3M |
| Frankie Edgar | $7M |
| Aljamain Sterling | $6.7M |
| Demetrious Johnson | $6.1M |
| Sean Strickland | $6.1M |
| Derrick Lewis | $5.8M |
| Tony Ferguson | 45.7M |
| Tyron Woodley | $5.2M |
| Brandon Moreno | $4.9M |
| Glover Teixeira | $4.7M |
| Robert Whittaker | $4.6M |
| Deiveson Figueiredo | $4.5M |
| Rafael Dos Anjos | $4.5M |
| Colby Covington | $4.4M |
| Khamzat Chimaev | $4.3M |
| Michael Chandler | $4M |
| Demian Maia | $3.9M |
| Merab Dvalishvili | $3.9M |
| Dricus Du Plessis | $3.9M |
| Henry Cejudo | $3.8M |
| Petr Yan | $3.8M |
| Stephen Thompson | $3.8M |
| Alexandre Pantoja | $3.7M |
| Ryan Bader | $3.7M |
| Gegard Mousasi | $3.6M |
| Jan Blachowicz | $3.6M |
| Jiri Prochazka | $3.5M |
Career earnings data provided by mmasalaries.com
How Do UFC Fighters Get Paid?
UFC fighters earn their living through a variety of means.
The primary source of income for UFC fighters comes in the form of fight purses — the money they receive for showing up and fighting, which typically includes a bonus for winning the bout. Sometimes, fighters featured on Pay-Per-View broadcasts can receive a cut of the revenue from the event, but usually only the top-billed fighters enjoy this benefit.
Additionally, fighters have the chance to earn extra cash from performance bonuses, such as winning “Fight of the Night,” “Knockout of the Night” and “Submission of the Night” honors. Sometimes, these bonuses are worth more than the fight purse itself.
If a fighter carves out some notoriety for themselves, they stand to make even more money from sponsorships. Often, these come from sportswear, beverage, nutrition, fight equipment or app developers.
Often, fighters use their UFC name recognition to launch their own business ventures, opening gyms for aspiring fighters to train, offering coaching or launching associated brands. McGregor owns multiple companies, for instance, including Irish whiskey and beer, sports supplements and fitness brands, while his rival, Louisiana-native Poirier, owns a hot sauce company.
Curious which players make the most in other sports? Take a look here:
- Highest-Paid NFL Players
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- Highest-Paid MLB Players
- Highest-Paid NHL Players
- Highest-Paid WNBA Players
- Highest-Paid F1 Drivers
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Frequently Asked Questions
Who is the highest paid UFC fighter of all time?
Conor McGregor is the highest paid UFC fighter ever, earning more than $114 million over the course of his career.
Who is the highest paid active UFC fighter in 2025?
Alex Pereira is the highest-paid active UFC fighter in 2025, earning more than $9 million.
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