One of the most competitive sporting disciplines, mixed martial arts demands a lot from its participants — be it in terms of fitness or training your body for maximum pain and stress endurance. On top of that comes the pressure of performance in front of thousands of spectators inside the arena and millions more all around the globe glued to their television sets. Naturally, competitions such as the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) enjoy a widespread global fan following, making its decorated players some of the richest UFC fighters.
Founded 30 years ago, UFC Holdings, at present, is the largest mixed martial arts promotion company in the world. Based in Las Vegas, Nevada, the UFC offers 11 different weight divisions, including eight for men and three for women. As of 2023, it has turned into a global multi-billion-dollar enterprise.
But what is on offer at the UFC events for the participating fighters? Considering its popularity, the fact that the mixed martial arts fighters, who are a part of the UFC earn huge sums should not come as a surprise. Besides their earnings, the best UFC fighters also enjoy several endorsement deals which land them significant wealth. As a matter of fact, several top-performing fighters rank among the richest athletes in the world.
So, on that note, let us take a look at the richest UFC fighters in the world. The list includes fighters from both the current crop as well as the retired ones since many of them fall among the richest athletes at present by virtue of their sponsorship deals and other sources of income.
Who are the richest UFC fighters in the world?
Conor McGregor
Net worth in 2023: USD 200 million
One of the most celebrated athletes in the modern era, Conor McGregor arguably ranks in the pantheon of the greatest in-ring performers in combat sports. The Irish fighter enjoys a stellar record in the UFC’s octagon-shaped arena — he has a record of 22 wins, six losses and no draws. Of his wins, 19 came by knockout, a statistic which stands testament to his finesse in striking down his opponents with his powerful blows.
McGregor is a former featherweight and lightweight champion of the UFC. The Irishman holds the record of being the first fighter in UFC’s 23-year history to become a champion of two different weight divisions, having won the latter title in 2016, while he was still the holder of the featherweight title. Besides UFC, McGregor is also a former lightweight and featherweight champion of Cage Warriors — a mixed martial arts promotion company based in England.
According to the latest report by Celebrity Net Worth, McGregor is the richest UFC fighter in the world. Not just in combat sports, the net worth of McGregor makes him one of the richest athletes in the world. Interestingly, he held the 35th spot in Forbes’ list of The World’s Highest-Paid Athletes in 2022.
Earlier in 2023, the fighter revealed that he has earned USD 650 million in his career to date and claimed that he will soon touch the billion-dollar mark.
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Rorion Gracie
Net worth in 2023: USD 50 million
A popular martial arts master from the ’80s and the ’90s, Rorion Gracie is often known as the ‘Godfather’ of UFC. In 1993, it was he who partnered with fellow American business executive Art Davie to create the UFC. The fighter, hailing from California, showed the world that Gracie jiu-jitsu was the only method of self-defence for a fighter to stand his ground and defeat a physically larger and more athletic adversary.
Post his retirement from the UFC, Gracie took up the task of training high-ranking military personnel of the US Army Special Operations Forces in hand-to-hand combat. At present, the course is known as the Gracie Survival Tactics (GST), which by nature is a combative and defensive tactics course.
He is also the author of the book titled The Gracie Diet: The Secret of the Champions published in 2010.
Khabib Nurmagomedov
Net worth in 2023: USD 40 million
Not many fighters have enjoyed a perfect record in the highest level of mixed martial arts competitions. Khabib Nurmagomedov is a member of that exclusive club. With 29 wins and no losses, he retired from the UFC with an undefeated record. The Russian is often regarded as one of the greatest fighters in the UFC, and rightfully so — he was the longest-reigning UFC Lightweight Champion in the history of combat sports, having held the title from April 2018 to March 2021.
Being one of the sport’s most decorative fighters, Nurmagomedov also ranks among the richest UFC fighters in the world.
Georges St-Pierre
Net worth in 2023: USD 20 million
Regarded as one of the most prolific mixed martial artists of all time, Georges St-Pierre is a former UFC champion, who has won titles in two divisions, namely the welterweight and middleweight divisions. He has won the Welterweight Championship thrice and the Middleweight Championship once before retiring in 2017 as only the fourth fighter in the history of the UFC to be a multi-division champion.
Post his retirement from the UFC, St-Pierre became a film actor. The Canadian former fighter featured in several movies such as Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014), Kickboxer: Vengeance (2016), The Striking Truth (2010) and Cartels (2017), to name a few. He also made appearances in two television shows, namely The Falcon and the Winter Soldier and What If…?, both under the banner of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Naturally, St-Pierre ranks among the richest UFC fighters in the world with his whopping net worth.
Brock Lesnar
Net worth in 2023: USD 20 million
One of the most famous athletes in the world, Brock Lesnar has become a sensation in the world of combat sports over the years. While today’s generation knows him for his exploits in the World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) Championships, he was a part of the UFC for nine years (from 2008 to 2017). The American athlete remains the only person to date to have won all the primary heavyweight championships in the WWE, UFC, New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) and the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).
Besides combat sports, Lesnar also featured in professional American football in the past. He has made appearances in a few Hollywood films as well, such as True Giants (2014), Foxcatcher (2014) and Countdown (2019). Lesnar has also been a part of television shows like E:60 and Rome Is Burning, among others.
Additionally, Lesnar has been featured in the WWE video games regularly since 2011. In the past, he has also been a part of the UFC games.
Tito Ortiz
Net worth in 2023: USD 20 million
A former American mixed martial artist, Tito Ortiz was one of the early stars of the UFC. He held the title of the UFC Lightweight Champion from April 2000 to September 2003. Ortiz is the CEO of Punishment Athletics mixed martial arts equipment and clothing line, which is located in his hometown of Huntington Beach, California.
In November 2020, Ortiz was declared one of the winners of the Huntington Beach City Council election, becoming Mayor pro tempore (for the time being). While he was sworn into office on 7 December 2020, Ortiz resigned from the city council in less than six months on 1 June 2021.
He has been featured in a few Hollywood films such as Cradle 2 the Grave (2003), Zombie Strippers (2008) and Above the Shadows (2019), among others.
Wanderlei Silva
Net worth in 2023: USD 18 million
A former Brazilian mixed martial artist, Wanderlei Silva is best known for his appearances in Japan’s PRIDE Fighting Championships and the UFC. He holds the record for the most wins, knockouts, title defences and the longest winning streak in the PRIDE history. He is a former PRIDE Middleweight Champion and the 2003 PRIDE Middleweight Grand Prix Tournament Champion. However, the Brazilian never enjoyed the same amount of success in the UFC.
Regardless of his performances, Silva has made a fortune from his career earnings. He has also featured in a few films, namely Nagurimono (2005), Here Comes the Boom (2012) and Kickboxer: Retaliation (2018).
Ronda Rousey
Net worth in 2023: USD 14 million
The only female combat sports athlete on this list, Ronda Rousey is arguably one of the most popular fighters of all time in both the WWE and the UFC. Rousey held the record for the most title defences in the UFC until Valentina Shevchenko surpassed her in 2022. The American fighter, to date, remains the only woman to be a WWE and UFC champion. In addition, she also won a bronze medal in judo at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, and in the process, became the first American woman to win an Olympic medal in the sport.
Outside the ring, Rousey has featured in several Hollywood films. One of the richest UFC fighters in the world, her filmography includes the likes of Furious 7 (2015), The Expendables 3 (2014), Entourage (2015), Mile 22 (2018) and Charlie’s Angels (2019).
Anderson Silva
Net worth in 2023: USD 14 million
Deemed one of the greatest mixed martial artists of all time by several pundits, Anderson Silva is a former Brazilian mixed martial artist and boxer, who is best known for his time in the UFC. He holds the record of being the UFC Middleweight Champion for the longest time. His title reign of 2,457 days started in 2006 and ended in 2013, and includes a UFC record of 16 consecutive victories.
Like many UFC fighters, Silva, too, has featured in a number of Hollywood movies. A few of them include Never Surrender (2009), Hell’s Chain (2009), Till Luck Do Us Part 2 (2013), Worms (2013), and The Invincible Dragon (2019).
Since 2011, Silva has enjoyed a sponsorship deal with Corinthians, a Brazilian football club. He also has a long-standing endorsement deal with the American fast-food chain, Burger King.
Chuck Liddell
Net worth in 2023: USD 12 million
Summing up the list of the richest UFC fighters is Chuck Liddell, a former American mixed martial artist. He is widely considered to be the pioneer of UFC Championships alongside fellow fighter Randy Couture. Popularly known as ‘The Iceman’, Liddell has won the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship once. With 21 wins and nine losses, he is one of the most decorated UFC fighters in the championship’s history.
Besides fighting, Liddell is also known for his busy filmography. He has acted in several Hollywood films such as The Postman Always Rings Twice (1981), How High (2001), Cradle 2 the Grave, Kick-Ass 2 (2013), Fight Life (2012) and Fight of Fury (2020).
According to reports, he enjoys the fourth-longest win streak in the UFC Light Heavyweight division’s history with seven wins to his name.
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(Hero Image Credits: Courtesy Conor McGregor/Instagram and Ronda Rousey/Instagram; Featured Image Credits: Courtesy Conor McGregor/Instagram)
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
– Who is the richest UFC fighter in the world in 2023?
As of November 2023, Conor McGregor is the richest UFC fighter in the world.
– Who is the wealthiest fighter in the UFC?
Conor McGregor is the wealthiest fighter in the UFC.
– How much did Anshul Jubli earn from the UFC?
In his most recent match in the UFC, Anshul Jubli earned a base money of USD 12,000, an additional USD 12,000 in win bonus, a USD 50,000 UFC bonus and USD 4,000 in sponsorship.
