I’m here to show you who are the top 10 all-time highest paid fighters in the UFC. Perfect for seeing who gets paid best for all of that brutal fighting action.
OK, no prizes for guessing that Conor McGregor came out top, but I’m probably not the only one who was surprised to see that Donald Cerrone has made the shortlist. While there’s more to UFC glory than the size of a fighter’s bankroll, it should give you a good indication of who has made their mark in the MMA realm.
1. Conor McGregor – $39.3 million
I wasn’t massively surprised to find that Conor McGregor was the best-paid UFC star of all-time. However, what surprised me was the sheer gulf in his earnings compared to the next fighter on the list. After all, McGregor’s earnings were nearly twice that of Khabib Nurmagomedov. All of this shows that there is more to the Irish star than just having a big mouth.
2. Khabib Nurmagomedov – $22.9 million
Arguably one of the pound-for-pound best fighters in UFC history, Nurmagomedov hasn’t been shy about making a lot of money. The Russian star racked up over $22 million in earnings during his time in the octagon. Just about enough compensation for all of those brutally efficient takedowns.
3. Alistair Overeem – $15.4 million
While the Dutch star didn’t quite manage to become the UFC’s best heavyweight fighter, he managed to make quite a bit of cash in his decade-long career. After all, earning over $15 million should be enough to offset the disappointment of that TKO defeat against Alexander Volkov.
4. Anderson Silva – $13.5 million
Holder of the longest title reign in UFC history, the Brazilian star also managed to pick up $13.5 million in earnings. It could have been a little more if he hadn’t thrown away that fight against Chris Weidman by doing some dumb showboating.
5. Andrei Arlovski – $11.2 million
This fearsome fighter from Belarus only retired in June earlier this year, but he should face a fairly enjoyable retirement due to having over $11 million in earnings. A fair reward for having the most wins by a single fighter in the heavyweight UFC division.
6. Michael Bisping – $11.1 million
Arguably one of the most popular personalities in the sport, Bisping was also a phenomenal fighter. Not only was he the first British World Champion, but he clocked up over $11 million in his 29-fight career too.
7. Junior Dos Santos – $11 million
The Brazilian former UFC Heavyweight Champion may have now retired from the octagon, but he racked up an impressive $11 million in earnings during his explosive career.
8. Georges St-Pierre – $10.95 million
The Canadian star may have suffered an embarrassing knockout courtesy of Matt Serra, but at least he managed to clock up well over $10 million in earnings while retaining a reputation as one of the greatest fighters in mixed martial arts history.
9. Jon Jones- $10.9 million
A true legend of the UFC still going strong, Jon Jones is the heavyweight king and will be looking to add to his already-impressive earnings when he takes on Stipe Miocic at UFC 309 later this year.
10. Donald Cerrone – $10.6 million
The Cowboy may have left the UFC scene back in 2022, but there are signs that he could be ready to come out of retirement for two more bouts. I’m guessing that Cerrone wants to add a little extra to his $10 million+ career earnings.
Conclusion – Check back to see who the best-paid UFC fighter will be in the future
One thing is for sure and this is that the UFC is getting bigger and better, and so our favorite fighting stars are only going to get paid more.
It’s debatable as to whether the likes of Islam Makhachev or Alex Pereira will have what it takes to catch up with the likes of Conor McGregor, but I’m going to enjoy watching them try. So be sure to check back here to see who’s leading the way in your UFC betting and find out who the best-paid UFC stars will be in the future.
