UFC 137 Salary Report
“UFC 137: Penn vs. Diaz” took place this past Saturday from the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas. The pay-per-view event was a stacked affair that put two of the most popular fighters in MMA against each other for a welterweight showdown that was nothing short of spectacular.
In one of the best and most technical MMA fights in history, Nick Diaz returned to the UFC in emphatic fashion to best multiple time champion, BJ Penn.
For his efforts Diaz also took home the highest disclosed payroll at $200,000.00. Penn came in with the second highest salary of the evening with $150,000, Kongo was slightly behind him at $140,000 and preliminary card fighter, Brandon Vera took home a disclosed amount of $120,000.00.
With 22 fighters on the evening’s card the total disclosed payroll for UFC 137 was $1,026,000. This number does not include sponsorship income, locker room bonuses or pay-per-view incentives.
The Nevada State Athletic Commission emailed BJPENN.COM to the total list of disclosed purses for UFC 137 and they are as follows:
Nick Diaz: $200,000 (no win bonus)
def. B.J. Penn: $150,000
Cheick Kongo: $140,000 (includes $70,000 win bonus)
def. Matt Mitrione: $10,000
Roy Nelson: $40,000 (includes $20,000 win bonus)
def. Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic: $75,000
Scott Jorgensen: $33,000 (includes $16,500 win bonus)
def. Jeff Curran: $8,000
Hatsu Hioki: $30,000 (includes $15,000 win bonus)
def. George Roop: $8,000
Donald Cerrone: $54,000 (includes $27,000 win bonus)
def. Dennis Siver: $27,000
Bart Palaszewski: $28,500 (includes $10,000 win bonus)*
def. Tyson Griffin: $25,500*
Brandon Vera: $120,000 (includes $60,000 win bonus)
def. Eliot Marshall: $15,000
Ramsey Nijem: $20,000 (includes $10,000 win bonus)
def. Danny Downes: $5,000
Francis Carmont: $12,000 (includes $6,000 win bonus)
def. Chris Camozzi: $8,000
Clifford Starks: $12,000 (includes $6,000 win bonus)
def. Dustin Jacoby: $6,000
*Click here for the latest UFC 137 coverage provided by BJPENN.COM
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Dana must really have a sore spot in his heart for Diaz. He’s the only winner that didn’t get a win bonus. If only he can stop being so belligerent, and give Dana his “little bit of play”. Don’t get me wrong, as a fighter I have mad respect for Diaz. As a person, I have my reservations. His rants about his living conditions, and how he’s not getting paid, and can’t afford to live in a nicer neighborhood?! C’mon, a lot of fighters who’ve made less in their career have managed to make a better life for themselves AND their family. You don’t know how to buy a house? Welcome aboard with the rest of us. That’s why we hire what you would call a Real Estate Agent.
C’mon b, I bun too. But I can still think and be smart about my actions. If I made what your making, I’d be laughing and enjoying life. And so would my family and friends. Time to grow up man! See the other side of the rainbow. Don’t worry, no one bites there, unless you bite them first. lol
Marry me? Ha- but seriously, couldn’t have put it better myself.
Nick doesnt get a win bonus because his contract is negotiated that way as a flat fee. Most of the higher paid top name guys have the same type so you get well paid win or lose.
He needs to get ahold of daddy Chael, I’m sure he still knows people in the real estate biz
very true most people dont see 200,000 in 4yrs hes got nothin to complain about money wise he just likes to hear himself complain i think
Ya know. What I’m wondering is how much he would have made if he had won, and how much Kongo would have made if he had lost? I can be almost certain, that Mitrione wouldn’t have made as much as Kongo, and Kongo would still have made more than 50K if he had lost. Guess it all really depends on your status and your popularity, and your contract. Just look at Nelson and Cro Cop. Cro Cop still made more than Nelson even though he lost. It’s a good thing that Nelson got a win bonus.
If Mitrione would have won he would have made $20,000
The way I read these:
Nick Diaz: $200,000 (no win bonus)
def. B.J. Penn: $150,000
Win or lose, Nick Diaz would make $200,000
Cheick Kongo: $140,000 (includes $70,000 win bonus)
def. Matt Mitrione: $10,000
If Cheick lost, he would have made $70,000
Mitrione probable would have made $20,000 if he won
etc.
Generally, a win bonus is equal to the fight pay. This can be changed in a contract, but it’s usually how it goes.
cro cop got paid more cause hes been fighting longer n that might have been his last fight
wtf was fight of the night? thought it was diaz and penn???
It was so they each got an additional $75K on top of those disclosed amounts. So Nick took home $275K and BJ $225K.
Omg………. it’s only what the disclosed amounts are. These guys are making more than that. This doesn’t include the sponsor bonuses or the locker room bonuses. I doubt anyone, win or lose, walked away with less than 20k in their pocket.
What is a ‘Locker Room Bonus’ ? and Brandon Vera doesnt seem to be providing too much bang for the buck that they are paying him.
Ya…what is the Locker Room Bonus? And I totally agree on Brandon Vera. $120K?!?!!?
It’s pathetic that a co-main event fighter on a PPV event would get paid $10,000. Like I said two years ago on this site, and I’ve stayed true to it. I won’t buy anything UFC until they start compensating the fighters better. Even though the fights are easy to watch free online, I’d buy them out of principle if I felt like the money was paying the fighters I’m paying to see
its not only that any pubs or clubs that get the ppv are being charged around the 3-5grand mark. not as bad as boxing ppvs but still a lot of cash.
Ehhem Brandon gets dropped twice in the fight quite possibly loosing that decision and he still gets 120,000? ufc should stop hyping brandon vera he’ll never be more than a middle to lower tier fighter.
why is dana such a cheapskate
get your shit together quit your whining and go buy yourself a house Diaz
Wow. All the fighters money paid out, bonuses and all come to about a million bucks.
The UFC made 3 million in ticket sales and probably another 12 million in PPV. That’s 15 million total. Minus say 60% for workers, venue and PPV fees and such, -
Leaves about 6 million for Dana and the boys to roll around in.
The fighters do make 10 times what they used to… but they should still get double what they are getting now in base pay.
Hmmm…pre or post taxes…
I don’t get it, I thought Penn and Diaz got the BFotN bonus?
this is their base pay so nick got 275 k and bj got 225k
Brandon Vera: $120,000 (includes $60,000 win bonus) no way he is worth that
he is ufc veteran
hes garbage now and barely wins fights
at least they all get their flights and hotel rooms paid for by the ufc. and they get free health insurance. i currently can’t train at my gym any more cause i now don’t have health insurance.
to be a brandon vera fan is to be a disappointed fan; he looked like shit and barely won that fight and he had such a smug ****ing smirk on his face when his hand was raised… he’s probably the luckiest asshole in the UFC; best contract ever…