fighter salaries

(Even when you've knocked your opponent into a 180-degree tailspin, the Bad Boy eyes are always watching. Photo courtesy of Tracy Lee via Cagewriter.)

The UFC paid out $1,525,000 in reported salaries and bonuses for UFC 102, with the night's headliners taking home just over half of the total. The numbers are below. Keep in mind that they don't include income from sponsorships, cuts of the pay-per-view revenue (which Randy Couture reportedly receives), or the UFC's shadowy "locker room bonuses" (which Silva and Duffee likely got a taste of).

- Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira: $460,000 (includes $150,000 win bonus and $60,000 Fight of the Night bonus)
- Randy Couture: $310,000 (includes $60,000 Fight of the Night bonus)
- Nate Marquardt: $140,000 (includes $40,000 win bonus and $60,000 Knockout of the Night bonus)
- Gabriel Gonzaga: $120,000 (includes $60,000 win bonus)
- Jake Rosholt: $86,000 (includes $13,000 win bonus and $60,000 Submission of the Night bonus)
- Brandon Vera: $70,000 (includes $35,000 win bonus)
- Thiago Silva: $58,000 (includes $29,000 win bonus)
- Keith Jardine: $55,000

(Photos courtesy of UFC.com.)

The UFC paid out $630,000 in disclosed salaries and bonuses for Saturday night's Ultimate Fighter 9 Finale, according to figures released by the Nevada State Athletic Commission. Leading the list are Diego Sanchez — who took home an event-high $115,000 thanks to his Fight of the Night bonus and pack-leading to-show salary — and Joe Stevenson, who came in second place with $95,000. The numbers are below...

- Diego Sanchez: $115,000 (includes $45,000 win bonus and $25,000 Fight of the Night bonus)
- Joe Stevenson: $95,000 (includes $35,000 win bonus and $25,000 Fight of the Night bonus)
- Chris Lytle: $61,000 (includes $18,000 win bonus and $25,000 Fight of the Night bonus)
- Clay Guida: $48,000 (includes $25,000 Fight of the Night bonus)
- Nate Diaz: $45,000 (includes $25,000 Fight of the Night bonus)
- Jason Dent: $41,000 (includes $8,000 win bonus and $25,000 Submission of the Night bonus)
- Tomasz Drwal: $40,600 (includes $7,000 win bonus, $25,000 Knockout of the Night bonus, and 20% of Mike Ciesnolevicz's to-show money [$1,600])
- Kevin Burns: $34,000 (includes $25,000 Fight of the Night bonus)

(Props: Keegan on the UG)

Affliction paid out a little over $3.3 million in disclosed fighter salaries for “Day of Reckoning,” pretty much guaranteeing that they’ll take a financial loss on this event, as we all expected.  Naturally, the payouts include several head-scratchers and jaw-droppers, including $1.5 million to Andrei Arlovski for his 3:14 KO loss to Fedor Emelianenko last night.  At least when you compare it with Tim Sylvia’s $800,000 loss in 0:36, it’s proportional.  Now someone explain to Mark Hunt where his $4 million is.

Here’s how the disclosed salaries broke down:

Fedor Emelianenko $300,000 (no win bonus)
Andre Arlovski $1,500,000 (win bonus would have been $250,000)
Josh Barnett $500,000 (no win bonus)
Gilbert Yvel $30,000 (win bonus would have been $9,300)
Vitor Belfort $200,000 (includes $80,000 win bonus)
Matt Lindland $225,000 (win bonus would have been $75,000)
Renato "Babalu" Sobral $90,000 (includes $30,000 win bonus)
Thierry Sokoudjou $50,000 (win bonus would have been $50,000)
Paul Buentello $90,000 (includes $20,000 win bonus)
Kiril Sidelnikov $10,000 (win bonus would have been $25,000)
Dan Lauzon $12,000 (no win bonus)
Bobby Green $4,000 (win bonus would have been $4,000)
Jay Hieron $45,000 (includes $25,000 win bonus)
Jason High $10,000 (win bonus would have been $5,000)
Antonio Rogerio Nogueira $150,000 (includes $30,000 win bonus) def. Vladimir Matyushenko $50,000 (win bonus would have been $30,000)
L.C. Davis $14,000 (includes $7,000 win bonus)
Bao Quach $7,000 (win bonus would have been $6,000)
Albert Rios $6,000 (includes $3,000 win bonus)
Antonio Duarte $3,000 (win bonus would have been $2,000)
Brett Cooper $10,000 (includes $5,000 win bonus)
Patrick Speight $2,000 (win bonus would have been $3,000)

Thoughts…