Mixed Martial Arts continues to gain popularity with its gutsy and tough performance. The UFC is becoming one of the biggest and most popular sports leagues in the country, but it’s banned in several states due to the fact that it is so violent and dangerous. This full body contact sport draws plenty of fans. However, the fighters involved still aren’t making nearly the same amount of money that other professional fighters make, despite the immense popularity of the sport. That’s not to say fighters aren’t being paid well, however, and the richest MMA fighters prove that.
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BJ Penn – $20 Million
Like many of the men who fight in the UFC, BJ Penn only makes a fraction of his income from fighting. He also, like many men in the UFC, owns a gym, which only makes sense. However, much of his net worth does not come from his gym ownership or his fighting, it comes from his family. He’s the heir to an impressive real estate fortune thanks to his Hawaiian family. Something else interesting about this particular UFC star is the fact that he’s not just a brute; he’s a best-selling author of two books. He’s brawn and brains.
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Tito Ortiz – $15 Million
He’s made a lot of money in his career, and it comes from several sources. He’s not only a fighter in the UFC, he’s also a business man. He owns a gym in Orange County and he also has a clothing line, which appears to be a favorite pastime of these UFC fighters since many of them do. Perhaps the most interesting thing about Tito Ortiz, however, is not his career in the UFC or his impressive net worth of $15 million. Perhaps the most interesting thing about this fighter is that he chose to marry the world’s most well-known adult star, Jenna Jameson – though they are not married any longer.
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Randy Couture – $14 Million
Randy Couture is someone you might recognize, even if you’re not a fan of the UFC. While he had a successful career fighting, earning him nearly $3 million, he’s moved past that and has created a name for himself in Hollywood as well as the business world. Couture opened up a gym and he created a clothing line that continues to gain popularity and clientele. He’s now a movie star, with nearly 10 films under his belt. Some of the more popular roles he’s had include the Expendables, both the first and second movies.
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Chuck Liddell – $13 Million
Chuck Liddell has one of the most famous faces and names in the UFC. He’s the man who has earned the highest salary in the UFC with a career salary of more than $4 million. He goes by the nickname The Iceman and he’s making his money in many different places. He’s made appearances on television shows such as the very popular Entourage as well as a short run on Dancing with the Stars. He might not have won, but his appearance on the popular show didn’t hurt his reputation in the least, even giving him a slightly larger audience.
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Brock Lesnar – $12.5 Million
Brock Lesnar is a wrestler that’s been in the game for a long time. He’s been involved in multiple sports programs, including the WWE. Not only is he one of the richest men in the UFC, he’s also one of the richest wrestlers in the world. His income is all over the place, with reports that he was earning as much as $6 million per year when he was fighting in the WWE. He’s reportedly earned just shy of $3 million in the UFC and Vince McMahan pays him around $5 million per year. No matter where his income is from, he’s got plenty of it.
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Anderson Silva – $10 Million
Like many of the other fighters that participate in the UFC, most of Anderson Silva’s earnings are not from his fights. He has earned nearly $3 million dollars fighting in the UFC, but the other $7 million of his net worth were earned from his outside business ventures. One such venture came to fruition thanks in part to his success in the UFC. He was able to turn his fighting success into a successful clothing line that has helped to increase his overall net worth and personal fortune, making him more successful.
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Fedor Emelianenko – $10 Million
Fedor Emelianenko is worth $10 Million. The Russian fighter came onto the scene in 2000, spending years unbeaten by any of his opponents after a major loss in 2000. He managed to spend 10 years fighting without a loss, which included 28 different fights. Even though he’s no longer in the game due to his retirement, he is still in the public eye. He spends his days now working as a politician in Russia. The vast majority of his net worth is in fact from his fighting days, but being a politician gives him something to do.
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Wanderlei Silva – $8 Million
The vast majority of Wanderlei Silva’s worth comes from his career in Japan. He spent years fighting for Pride, making a lot of money in the process. However, he’s still making plenty of money in the UFC. To date, Silva’s earnings in the UFC equate to about $2 million, with each of his fights earning him approximately $200,000. Another big portion of his net worth comes from endorsements he has overseas in Japan and even a few other countries. While he’s not the most popular fighter in the UFC, he is a successful one with an impressive record.
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Quniton Jackson – $8 Million
Many people recognize this MMA fighter by his nickname. He goes by Quinton “Rampage” Jackson. His net worth of $8 million is due largely to his earnings in the UFC, but he’s been doing a bit more than just fighting in recent years. In fact, this fighter has spent a great deal of time in front of the cameras on the big screen as well as during his fights. Part of his impressive net worth comes from appearances in A-list movies such as the A Team and a few others. He’s a man of many talents.
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Georges St- Pierre – $7 Million
Georges St-Pierre just makes it onto the list of wealthiest MMA fighters in the world with a $7 million net worth. The President of the UFC, Dana White, has stated that Georges St-Pierre is the most popular fighter in the sport, and that his fights garner the biggest Pay Per View audience of any other UFC/MMA fighter. To date, Georges St-Pierre has earned more than $3 million in the UFC. The rest of his income is from sources not associated with the MMA, which explains how he made it onto this particular list.
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