Lorenzo: Rousey Makes Millions per Fight

Underground
41

FingerorMoon - 
I Wild Each It - I didn't cherry pick shit, shill. Lorenzo's quote is right there. He said it and I showed proof that he's full of shit. I knew there would be one of you that would come in and try to defend it, but it seems pretty black and white to me. He said they spread the revenue out across the card, so guys fighting on the undercards make 20-30-40 thousand per fight. I just showed data that proves he lying. It is what it is. You're probably right about Barao...backroom bonuses and all. And I didn't use MMA Manifesto to pull the data...whatever that is.


Not defending the UFC but didn't Mccorkle come on here and post that he got a $150K backroom bonus for promoting his fight so well ? (I might be remembering wrong)

Who knows how much those undercard fighters actually make.

Lorezno chose his words carefully. He didn't say ALL fighters make 40.

Wouldn't be surprised if guys on the undercard can get an extra $25K for putting on a great fight.

I don't believe he ever said that..

I read an interview where he talked about the money he made. He said he was getting close to as much money from the smaller promotions as he was in the UFC. He also said he was grateful to the UFC because they did pay him more than what the contract stipulated. However, it wasn't this 150k nonsense, it was something like 5k more.

I think it's clear that these massive locker room bonuses aren't what people think. I think the vast majority are 1/4 to 1/2 of there base pay as a bonus.

For someone like Barao you see the 22k and think that's insane, which it is... but I imagine the win bonus was 22k as well, so that's 44k, plus let's say they have him another 20k backroom bonus. Add in sponsor money which I have no idea what that would be, and then add the PPV points and he gets a nice lil payday.

I do find it amusing tho that you had Nate Quarry talking about how it was crazy he was only getting 10k for a title fight, then you have Lorenzo coming out defending themselves saying that was before we were making any money. Now lookie here, 2014 the challenger in a title fight still only gets 16k lol.

42

FETT_Lay'n'PrayNINJA - 
potato623 -
I Wild Each It - "Our pay structure is actually better because there isn't just one person getting all of the revenues. We stack these cards, and spread the money over the entire card. We have fighters we're giving the opportunity to fight on the undercard that are making twenty, thirty, forty thousand per fight." - Lorenzo Fertitta

UFC 170:
Sara McMann: $16,000 (main event)
Patrick Cummins: $8,000 (co-main event)
T.J. Waldburger: $18,000 (main card)
Robert Whittaker: $15,000 (main card)
Jessica Eye: $8,000
Pedro Munhoz: $8,000
Aljamain Sterling: $16,000
Cody Gibson: $8,000
Josh Sampo: $10,000
Rafaello Oliveira: $14,000
Ernest Chavez: $16,000
Yosdenis Cedeno: $8,000

UFC 169:
Renan Barao: $22,000 (co-main and world champion)
Alan Patrick: $16,000
Clint Hester: $16,000
Rashid Magomedov: $16,000
Neil Magny: $16,000
John Makdessi: $12,000
Ricardo Lamas: $10,000
John Lineker: $8,000
Danny Martinez: $8,000
Tom Watson: $8,000
Kevin Lee: $8,000
Andy Enz: $8,000
Tony Martin: $8,000
Gasan Umalatov: $8,000


Lorenzo's just as full of shit as Dana...he's just more eloquent about it.

Haha you're Barao numbers a ridiculously wrong. Quite using MMA Manifesto as a source.

Also the majority of fighters you listed are on entry level deals, kind of like looking at Mike Trout's salary and saying Baseball players are way underpaid.

Tom Watson and Liniker make more than 8k, same with Lamas.

Also funny you left out the solid fighters that made a lot of money; cherry pick much?
This. Be neutral and at least post all of the purses. Dear lord don't use manifestos bullshit either. Phone Post 3.0

Why post them all? Lorenzo specifically said the guys on the undercards are making 20-30-40 thousand per fight. I just posted data (not from manifestos...I have no idea WTF that is) that proved they aren't.

Here is everything for the 169 and 170 undercards...just for you.

UFC 170:
Alexis Davis: $30,000 (includes $15,000 win bonus)
Jessica Eye: $8,000
Raphael Assuncao: $56,000 (includes $28,000 win bonus)
Pedro Munhoz: $8,000
Aljamain Sterling: $16,000 (includes $8,000 win bonus)
Cody Gibson: $8,000
Zach Makovsky: $24,000 (includes $12,000 win bonus)
Josh Sampo: $10,000
Erik Koch: $30,000 (includes $15,000 win bonus)
Rafaello Oliveira: $14,000
Ernest Chavez: $16,000 (includes $8,000 win bonus)
Yosdenis Cedeno: $8,000

UFC 169:

Nick Catone: $26,000 ($13,000 to show, $13,000 win bonus)
Chris Cariaso: $24,000 ($12,000 to show, $12,000 win bonus)
Ali Bagautinov: $20,000 ($10,000 to show, $10,000 win bonus)
Al Iaquinta: $20,000 ($10,000 to show, $10,000 win bonus)
Alan Patrick: $16,000 ($8,000 to show, $8,000 win bonus)
Clint Hester: $16,000 ($8,000 to show, $8,000 win bonus)
Rashid Magomedov: $16,000 ($8,000 to show, $8,000 win bonus)
Neil Magny: $16,000 ($8,000 to show, $8,000 win bonus)
John Makdessi: $12,000
Ricardo Lamas: $10,000
John Lineker: $8,000
Danny Martinez: $8,000
Tom Watson: $8,000
Kevin Lee: $8,000
Andy Enz: $8,000
Tony Martin: $8,000
Gasan Umalatov: $8,000

Now where are all of these undercard fighters that Lorenzo claims are making 30 and 40 grand per fight? Hell, very few made $20k.

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I wonder why professional fighters sign with the UFC anyway. They have the audacity to pay the fighter (at the very least) the money he/she AGREED to be paid and voluntarily signed a contract to that amount. This shit is made unnecessarily complicated. If they believe they are worth more then they are being paid, all fighters are more than welcome to explore the free market to test their actual worth, once their contracts are up. You guys make it sound like bonded labor being paid burger king money for rocket science. You are worth what the market says you are worth.

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21 out of the 28 fighters on the 169 and 170 undercards made less than $20k...9 of them made $10k or less.

I got those numbers from various sources...MMAJunkie, MMAfighting, etc.

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Let me start by saying I think fighters are underpaid. That said if you follow MMA enough to be reading this you know that you cant go on reported purses. Backroom bonuses have been a part of the fight game and will continue to be. If you see a guy on the prelims perform really well and put on a show he's gunna get something extra. Dana even said in his last presser when announcing bonus winners " ughh Luke (Luke Barnatt) you'll get something too. Luke looked great tonight." Implying he'd also get a bonus which wasn't reported. Again I believe fighters at the highest levels are underpaid but the reported numbers are deceiving. Phone Post 3.0

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I Wild Each It - "Our pay structure is actually better because there isn't just one person getting all of the revenues. We stack these cards, and spread the money over the entire card. We have fighters we're giving the opportunity to fight on the undercard that are making twenty, thirty, forty thousand per fight." - Lorenzo Fertitta

UFC 170:
Sara McMann: $16,000 (main event)
Patrick Cummins: $8,000 (co-main event)
T.J. Waldburger: $18,000 (main card)
Robert Whittaker: $15,000 (main card)
Jessica Eye: $8,000
Pedro Munhoz: $8,000
Aljamain Sterling: $16,000
Cody Gibson: $8,000
Josh Sampo: $10,000
Rafaello Oliveira: $14,000
Ernest Chavez: $16,000
Yosdenis Cedeno: $8,000

UFC 169:
Renan Barao: $22,000 (co-main and world champion)
Alan Patrick: $16,000
Clint Hester: $16,000
Rashid Magomedov: $16,000
Neil Magny: $16,000
John Makdessi: $12,000
Ricardo Lamas: $10,000
John Lineker: $8,000
Danny Martinez: $8,000
Tom Watson: $8,000
Kevin Lee: $8,000
Andy Enz: $8,000
Tony Martin: $8,000
Gasan Umalatov: $8,000


Lorenzo's just as full of shit as Dana...he's just more eloquent about it.

Meaningless when it's out of context. What are you comparing it to?
Take a look at what the average boxer makes. Take a look at what the average under-card boxer makes.

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Dude Rhonda got soooo lucky. Don't get me wrong she's good. Also has a certain sex appeal I guess but she really came into mma when IMO, wmma is still where guys mma was not long after the UFC started. So having that arm bar momma taught her and good judo. She is making millions on the backs of these poor bastards making 8k to show on the same card or some shit. Just doesn't seem fair but life usually isn't. Phone Post 3.0

48

the official pay numbers are not what they actually make (dana said). they make more and some of its just cash under the table

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I'm not here to argue these backroom bonus shit, the contracts they OFFER are garbage. You can argue all you want on the fact "You have to sign the contract". The contract they offer is still garbage.

50

Kazp306 - 
I Wild Each It - "Our pay structure is actually better because there isn't just one person getting all of the revenues. We stack these cards, and spread the money over the entire card. We have fighters we're giving the opportunity to fight on the undercard that are making twenty, thirty, forty thousand per fight." - Lorenzo Fertitta

UFC 170:
Sara McMann: $16,000 (main event)
Patrick Cummins: $8,000 (co-main event)
T.J. Waldburger: $18,000 (main card)
Robert Whittaker: $15,000 (main card)
Jessica Eye: $8,000
Pedro Munhoz: $8,000
Aljamain Sterling: $16,000
Cody Gibson: $8,000
Josh Sampo: $10,000
Rafaello Oliveira: $14,000
Ernest Chavez: $16,000
Yosdenis Cedeno: $8,000

UFC 169:
Renan Barao: $22,000 (co-main and world champion)
Alan Patrick: $16,000
Clint Hester: $16,000
Rashid Magomedov: $16,000
Neil Magny: $16,000
John Makdessi: $12,000
Ricardo Lamas: $10,000
John Lineker: $8,000
Danny Martinez: $8,000
Tom Watson: $8,000
Kevin Lee: $8,000
Andy Enz: $8,000
Tony Martin: $8,000
Gasan Umalatov: $8,000


Lorenzo's just as full of shit as Dana...he's just more eloquent about it.
Can't really argue with that... Phone Post 3.0


Well, other than the fact that the numbers for UFC 169 were not officially reported, and were just a guess from past fights....



That said, yes, UFC fighters are not paid as well as we would like, but nobody ever is. At the end of the day, it really is just a job, and the athlete's are underpaid.

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tanner904 - Dude Rhonda got soooo lucky. Don't get me wrong she's good. Also has a certain sex appeal I guess but she really came into mma when IMO, wmma is still where guys mma was not long after the UFC started. So having that arm bar momma taught her and good judo. She is making millions on the backs of these poor bastards making 8k to show on the same card or some shit. Just doesn't seem fair but life usually isn't. Phone Post 3.0
I don't know about lucky so much. Ronda works hard for everything she's got. Ronda has training judo or MMA for over 10 years now. I bet Ronda has put in more time training than some of those new guys making 8 and 8. Phone Post 3.0

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I'm far from any kind of zuffa shill...but they are a private company, they report the agreed upon contract only. I'm sure Lorenzo is speaking of everything from sponsorship to under the table money ie bonuses.

I remember when Rousey fought Liz Carmouche and her show was 12k. I recall her saying her compensation was much greater than 12k. Phone Post 3.0

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notsobigmike - I don't understand the claims that UFC fighters, especially undercard fighters are underpaid.

Compared to what? A fair price isn't what you or I says it is. It's what the market supports. If the UFC represents the opportunity to make more money than you ever made before, and more money than other promoters are willing to pay you, that's what you're worth.

I mean, we all would like to see fighters making more money, but that money has to be based on reality. For the guys at the bottom, that means paying your dues in the hopes of making big money some day when you're at the top.

It's just like any other passion career. You do it because you love it, and if you're lucky you make it to the pinnacle where the real money is.

That is not the claim that Lorenzo made

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I believe the average UFC fighter makes quite a bit more than the average boxer. And there's no comparison when it comes to sponsorship or the lower rung entry level fighters.

55

Here are the purses from the recent Canelo-Angulo fight, the UFC will tell you that everyone in boxing outside the main-eventer is making 2K a fight, but it's not true

Alvarez 1.25M + 80% of PPV
Angulo 750k
SantaCruz 500k
Mijares 92k
Molina 275k
Charlo 100k
Linares 50k
Arakawa 50k
R Alavarez 100k
Thompson 50k

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I'm shocked Lorenzo wound bs like that. It looks like their getting rid of all the higher paid undercard fighters [Fitch] and only paying the stars [Faber, Wand] or champs [well you know]. I'm not a ufc basher but they need to do a better job with fighter pay. Can you imagine the work and dedication it takes to even be an average ufc fighter.

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knee smash - Here are the purses from the recent Canelo-Angulo fight, the UFC will tell you that everyone in boxing outside the main-eventer is making 2K a fight, but it's not true

Alvarez 1.25M + 80% of PPV
Angulo 750k
SantaCruz 500k
Mijares 92k
Molina 275k
Charlo 100k
Linares 50k
Arakawa 50k
R Alavarez 100k
Thompson 50k

A: There's way more money in boxing
B: This is one of boxing 6 big events a year, find these guys purses before this event

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knee smash - Here are the purses from the recent Canelo-Angulo fight, the UFC will tell you that everyone in boxing outside the main-eventer is making 2K a fight, but it's not true

Alvarez 1.25M + 80% of PPV
Angulo 750k
SantaCruz 500k
Mijares 92k
Molina 275k
Charlo 100k
Linares 50k
Arakawa 50k
R Alavarez 100k
Thompson 50k

Meaningless. UFC has a PPV every month 2-3 cards full of fights. Boxing has 1 significant PPV a year? 2?

The average UFC fighter makes a lot more than the average boxer.

59

Angulo/Canelo vs UFC 168

Chris Weidman: 400k (PPV incentives)
Anderson Silva: 600k (PPV incentives + 200k Win bonus)
Ronda Rousey: 100k (PPV incentives)
Josh Barnett: 170,000
Jim Miller: 92,000
Dennis Diver: 61,000
Travis Browne: 56,000
Chris Leben: 51,000
Dustin Poirier: 46,000
Gleeson Tibau: 39,000
Michael Johnson: 36,000
Meisha Tate: 25,000
Urijah Hall: 20,000
Manny Gamburyan ($25,000)
John Howard ($16,000 + $16,000 = $32,000) def. Siyar Bahadurzada ($17,000)

Preliminary Card (YouTube/Facebook)
William Macario ($10,000 + $10,000 = $20,000) def. Bobby Voelker ($12,000)
Robert Peralta ($12,000 + $12,000 = $24,000) def. Estevan Payan ($10,000)


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jagen - I'm not here to argue these backroom bonus shit, the contracts they OFFER are garbage. You can argue all you want on the fact "You have to sign the contract". The contract they offer is still garbage.
How so? Compared to what? How much are the signing bonuses? Who gets them? Which combat sports pays the lower teir better?

Not saying they shouldn't make more just asking someone with such a strong opinion some questions so I can see his perspective. Phone Post 3.0