Mixed Martial Arts has become the fastest-growing sport on the planet and with this tag comes an influx of massive amounts of cash. When WME-IMG bought the number one promotion in the sport – the UFC – for $4.2 billion, everyone knew that MMA was here to stay.
With the incredible amount of money being pumped into the sport, it’s only natural that fighters look to take advantage of the rising popularity to improve their own financial status. Throughout the board, fighter salaries have gone up in 2016 but some very obviously did better than others.
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As PPV sales reached a record high and sponsorship deals went through the roof, we take a look at the 5 MMA fighters who earned the most amount of money in 2016.
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Note: Only fight salaries have been considered for this list and not PPV bonuses, sponsorship deals, etc.
#5 Alistair Overeem – $1,884,500
Alistair “The Reem” Overeem is one of the true legends of the MMA world, having been fighting around the globe since 1999 and in the United States of America since 2006. The Dutch fighter comes in at number 5 on this list having made a whopping $1.85 million in 2016 alone.
A large part of this is thanks to a bumper contract he signed with the UFC in Feb 2016. He had two fights over the course of the year. The first was an impressive TKO victory over Andrei Arlovski on a UFC Fight Night which earned him a Performance of the Night.
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The second fight didn’t go as well, though, as he was finished off by defending Heavyweight Champion, Stipe Miocic, in a title bout at UFC 203. Regardless of that loss, The Reem had an excellent year financially. and will be looking to start 2017 off on the right foot with his upcoming fight against Mark Hunt at UFC 209.
#4 Brock Lesnar – $2,255,000
Now we come to a man who needs no introduction – The Beast Incarnate, Brock Lesnar. Lesnar made a return to the octagon in 2016 after a 5-year absence following a defeat at the hands of our previous entry on this list, Alistair Overeem.
Lesnar’s return was made possible because the UFC made him an incredible offer to return at UFC 200 against Mark Hunt. Despite an initial decision victory for Lesnar, the result was later overturned due to a doping violation and made into a no contest.
This would result in $250,000 fine for Lesnar but that hardly put a dent in his earnings which clocked in at an astonishing $2.2 million. Not too bad for someone who had just one fight in 2016. The only worrying thing for Lesnar might be that Mark Hunt is suing both him and UFC after the whole doping incident.
#3 Nate Diaz – $2,690,000
The most unexpected name on this list, Nate Diaz is someone who saw an opportunity and grabbed it with both hands. When Rafael dos Anjos pulled out of his fight with Conor McGregor, Diaz stepped up as a replacement on very little notice.
The younger Diaz brother made the most of his chance, submitting McGregor in a shock upset. Conor, predictably, demanded a rematch which Nate gladly accepted – but only after renegotiating his contract.
When the two clashed at UFC 202, it was a brawl for the ages, as McGregor took the fight in a unanimous decision. This is what has put Diaz in the upper echelons of MMA earners in 2016, as he made an eye-popping $2.6 million.
With all the buzz about a possible third match against McGregor, Diaz has made it very clear that he will only fight if his paycheck is even bigger. Do not be surprised to see Nate on this list for 2017 as well if the UFC give in to his demands and make McGregor vs Diaz III happen.
#2 Ronda Rousey – $3,030,000
Ronda Rousey was arguably the biggest star in the UFC prior to her surprising defeat to Holly Holm in 2015. With that in mind, there was absolutely no surprise that there was an incredible amount of hype for her return to the ring on the last day of 2016 against Amanda Nunes.
What followed was one of the most one-sided fights in recent history as Nunes decimated the former champion and knocked her out in just 48 seconds. What might make this defeat hurt a little less, though, is that Rousey made an astonishing $3 million just for that one fight.
It will certainly be interesting to see if she will ever step back into the octagon again, and if she does, there is a big question that needs to be answered. Is Ronda Rousey still a financial draw for the UFC?
#1 Conor McGregor – $7,770,000
Who else was it going to be? 2016 was the year of Conor McGregor. The Irishman stood tall at the top of the mountain after ending 2016 as the first fighter to hold World Titles in two different weight classes following his dismantling of Eddie Alvarez at the historic UFC 205 fight card in New York.
And, that's not even bringing in the money factor. The loss to Nate Diaz was possibly the best thing that could've happened to McGregor financially, as it set up a lucrative rematch which he duly won.
Riding off with even more momentum than before his two clashes against Diaz, McGregor upped his game – and his price tag – as he went on to create history. Whether it is inside the octagon or outside, there is no one who had a better 2016 than Conor McGregor.
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