(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
- Chris Leben: $30,000
– Demian Maia: $28,000
– Mark Munoz: $24,000 (includes $12,000 win bonus)
– Ed Herman: $24,000
– Mike Russow: $20,000 (includes $10,000 win bonus)
– Aaron Simpson: $18,000 (includes $9,000 win bonus)
– Justin McCully: $15,000
– Evan Dunham: $14,000 (includes $7,000 win bonus)
– Tim Hague: $7,000
– Nick Catone: $5,000
Overpaid: Gabriel Gonzaga, who took home a six-figure paycheck for beating down another UFC newbie — and needed a devastating kick to the nuts to do it. If you haven’t seen his fight against Chris Tuchscherer, brace yourself, and click here.
Underpaid: Look, you get paid what you negotiate; we understand that. Still, after three straight stoppage victories (and a spot on UFC 102′s main card), you’d hope that Krzysztof Soszynski would get more than $8,000 to show. When you’re winning fights and taking home Submission of the Night bonuses, being a low-on-the-totem-pole up-and-comer can be a sustainable way of life. But when you fail to shock the world against Brandon Vera, you’d better hope that Sam’s Club has an opening in their automotive department.
Loading ...
Comments
Mon, 08/31/09 - 06:36
HWs in general are overpaid. And one reason for K-Sos getting paid like shit is the fact that he made it to the UFC through TUF, which guarantees you shitty paydays for at least a couple years.
Mon, 08/31/09 - 06:37
Maia bounced like a Street Fighter II character. I was rooting for him =\ But it's ok, it will be nice watching Anderson manhandling Marquardt again.
Mon, 08/31/09 - 06:39
They asked Chris Tuchscherer for a comment after the fight, but he was busy choking on his testicles at that time.
Mon, 08/31/09 - 06:45
Couldn't Tuchscherer have not continued and gotten a DQ win? Or at least a NC? I would never want my UFC debut to start out with me vomiting my testicles into a bucket.
Mon, 08/31/09 - 06:56
Like it's Gonzaga's fault the UFC stuck him on the prelims against a new fighter. If Joe Silva really wanted him to earn his 100,000, they'd leave him on the main card and make him fight an experienced opponent. Instead, they gave that spot to Jake............Rosholt.
Mon, 08/31/09 - 06:59
That was a nut liquifying kick. Its seems like any fighter who gets his nuts slaughtered loses 9 times out of 10. Maybe more fighters will train to do that and give a shrug and confused look when they score a direct hit.
Mon, 08/31/09 - 07:26
I agree. The eye poke and the nut kick, part of the fighting toolbox since the caveman, are quickly becoming indisipensible tools in the MMA arsenal. Could the nut kicks be mitigated by mandatory wearing of cups? Seems stupid that baseball players would wear them in the event of an unlikely bad hop, while fighters don't, given inside leg kicks are such a big part of the stand-up game. The eye poke...not much can be done there short of instant replay and harsher penalties.
Mon, 08/31/09 - 07:31
Maia looked terrible for the 20 seconds he was in there...half-assed and telegraphed leg kicks. The old days of Royce springing the surprise of wrapping people up and taking 'em down is over. A strictly BJJ pratctitioner might need a little more nuanced way of closing the gap nowadays than the old Royce hop, skip and a jump.
Mon, 08/31/09 - 07:38
GG is deadly, and he was smashing Carwin until the punchers chance happened. GG would defeat Carwin 2 outta 3 times.
Mon, 08/31/09 - 07:43
Marquardt is the man! I hope Dana and Joe realize that Nate and Hendo are much better fighters now then they were when each faced off against the Spida the first time(especially Nate) and makes him have to go through each one of them seperately as opposed to them fighting for #1 contender, If this happens and he beats the both of them I would gladly call him the best in the world. I do realize what hes done to Griffin and Irvin at a heavier weight but IMO let him clear those 2 and then line him up with either GSP or Wanderlai now that would be the way to end his career if he is still going to retire at the end of this yr!
Mon, 08/31/09 - 07:44
@Fight Fan: I'm pretty sure the fighters all wear cups. It's not like cups protect athletes 100% from the pain of a groin shot.
Mon, 08/31/09 - 07:48
@Fight Fan All fighters where cups and its mandatory before stepping into the ring. The cup doesn't protect completely but helps if only a little. Imagine how bad that would have been if he had no cup. His nuts would be totally ka-bluey.
Mon, 08/31/09 - 08:16
@ WhiteOnRice Ka-Bluey = hilarious. @Fight Fan -Do you think that all the fighters just feel like tapping their nuts for the man just before entering the octagon in some sort of ritual? Pay attention. They are mandatory and the fact that you are a "Fight Fan" and cant figure that out is disturbing. (All of this brought to you by the Nut Puncher 9000)
Mon, 08/31/09 - 09:03
I don't know who does Gonzaga's negotiations, but I will assume he'll be in high demand. K-Sos, get that man's number. Sucks to be Maia now. I thought he'd loose but I thought it would be via decision, as opposed to deciding to walk into that punch. I hope he comes back from this because I love his ground game, but he'd best get some head movement drilled into his head for next time.
Mon, 08/31/09 - 09:13
I've just watched that Gonzaga fight, that is a serious dick move at 9:26. Not cool Gabe. Not cool at all.
Mon, 08/31/09 - 09:24
The UFC has to kick Jardine out. That guy sucks as a fighter. In the past 2 1/2 years, that guy has been KTFO'd 3 times in the first round, and won a mere 2 split decisions. JARDINE SUCKS
Mon, 08/31/09 - 09:36
@Fight Fan: So up until recently, you thought that there was some serious scrotal/penile contact when fighters work the guard, triangle chokes, etc? Gross. It'd definitely bring odd and awkward meaning to "North/South".
Mon, 08/31/09 - 10:06
How does Duffee not get anything extra for his 7 second ko?? He should have got the KO bonus or at least half of it. I'm noticing a theme of these "lousy" cards giving great finishes and moments though. It's not the matchups we dream of, but they give some great images.
Mon, 08/31/09 - 10:36
Maia basically did a running Shooting Star Press from Marquardt's fist. It's funny when people roll...
Mon, 08/31/09 - 10:37
UFC 102 was not a "lousy card," by any stretch of the imagination. It absolutely trumped 101 IMHO. I must apologize though calling Minnesota Mixed Martial Arts Academy garbage before watching the Tuchscherer vs. Gonzaga bout... I just assumed Gonzaga dominated with a better overall fight game, not by sack destruction. Damn that sucked.
Mon, 08/31/09 - 10:53
Yeah I thought the card was just pretty much Spike TV-worthy but it actually yielded some good matches and KO's. A much better overall fight than 101 and yes, I think it even trumped 100. How often do you see two old men get Fight of the Night honors, a Shooting Star Press, and a Nut-cracker in the same night?
Mon, 08/31/09 - 12:19
I have just two words for Chris Tuchscherer: Nutty Buddy.
Mon, 08/31/09 - 01:27
You guys are way harsh on fight fan. Damn, so he didn't know they wore cups no need for everybody to do him like GG did to that guys sack.
Mon, 08/31/09 - 02:28
The way the ufc doals out its bonus's and " win the fight " cash is totally screwy, very little consistancy or logic.
Mon, 08/31/09 - 02:33
Gonzaga gets a 60 win bonus for kickin his opponent in the nuts????????? you gotta be fuckin jokin! is this a misprint?
Mon, 08/31/09 - 11:57
Marquardt got paid a cool 7000 per second.
Tue, 09/01/09 - 05:39
Ohhh. I see. Then some of these guys are either pussies or just laying it on a little heavy. Yes, it still smarts, but come on. My new favorite fighter of all time is Joe Son.
Wed, 09/02/09 - 11:57
Was it just me, or in that Gonzaga fight, was that some of the worst refereeing in history. Chris literally laid there for a few seconds after Gonzaga got up, then was rolled over to take a few more punches, only to lay almost lifeless and exhausted while Gonzaga tees off. If the ref wanted to let Chris fight, that fight should've been over when he stopped fighting. Seeing him literally get rolled over as if he was that heavy bag that lays on the floor and you see people laying elbows into from a top mount as practice and not stopping the fight was plain ridiculous
Post a comment:
You must be logged in to post a comment.