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The UFC has produced a lot of superstars over the years, but only a handful have achieved the fame and fortune of a lifetime. To succeed at the world's biggest MMA promotion, talent needs to be coupled with a pinch of charisma. Ardent fight fans would agree that this is a proven recipe for glory.
As MMA following has been steadily increasing for the past two decades, UFC's pay grade has evolved drastically. Curiously, UFC fighters who've made it big in recent years aren't necessarily the richest ones. Some superstars have achieved a high net worth riding on talent, swagger, and business ventures outside of MMA.
In this article, we rank the five wealthiest UFC fighters in the history of the promotion:
#5 - Brock Lesnar
Brock Lesnar is a former NCAA wrestling champion, a former UFC heavyweight champion, and an eight-time former WWE champion. 'The Beast Incarnate' was also a former football player when he played for the NFL team Minnesota Vikings.
Brock Lesnar's gifted athletic nature was the reason he was able to make his mark in a wide range of fields and succeed in many of them. That would explain a lot of the $28 million net worth he has secured over the years.
While Brock Lesnar became a household name during his years at the WWE, his victory against Randy Couture at UFC 91 made him an even bigger star. Apart from winning the heavyweight title just months after making his UFC debut, Brock Lesnar also earned $450,000 for the fight.
#4 - Georges St-Pierre
Georges St-Pierre is widely considered one of the greatest UFC fighters of all time. In a span of 11 years in the UFC, GSP lost just two fights. One was against another welterweight legend, Matt Hughes, which the Canadian fighter would avenge to become the UFC interim champ. St-Pierre's second loss came to Matt Serra, which the Canadian avenged dominantly to unify the belts and become the undisputed champion.
The former UFC welterweight champion retired from the sport in 2013, only to return after four years. In his comeback, he faced Michael Bisping in a hugely promoted bout at UFC 217. Defeating Bisping, St-Pierre took nearly $2.5 million, i.e., close to one-third of his UFC career earnings.
Georges St-Pierre made it big even outside the octagon as he found some success in Hollywood. His most notable role came as Georges Batroc in Captain America: The Winter Soldier. Currently, GSP's net worth stands at $30 million, making him one of the richest UFC fighters ever.
#3 - Khabib Nurmagomedov
Khabib Nurmagomedov made his UFC debut in 2012. Back then, nobody would have guessed that 'The Eagle' would go down in history as not just one of the greatest UFC fighters ever but also one of the richest. The Dagestani grappler retired in 2020 as the #1 UFC pound-for-pound fighter and the undefeated and undisputed lightweight champion.
Khabib Nurmagomedov was set to become one of the richest UFC fighters when he crossed paths with Conor McGregor.
In 2016, Khabib became the UFC lightweight champion after defeating Al Iaquinta. His salary for winning the fight was $530,000. However, having defeated arguably the most popular fighter on the planet, i.e., Conor McGregor, Khabib's earnings jumped nearly four times to $2 million.
Khabib Nurmagomedov's two successive pay-cheques before retirement earned him more than $12 million. With 29 wins and no losses, Khabib Nurmagomedov became one of the richest UFC fighters of all time with a net worth of $30 million. His endorsements with Reebok, Gorilla Energy, and Toyota helped him reach the mark.
#2 - Rorion Gracie
Rorion Gracie is widely considered one of the founding members of Brazilian jiu-jitsu. He is a writer, publisher, producer, lecturer, and co-founder of the UFC. One of the most prominent fighters of the Gracie family, Rorion never fought in the UFC but is included in this list for his close connection with the MMA promotion.
Along with his two brothers, Rorion Gracie opened the first jiu-jitsu academy in California in 1989. He has produced several documentaries and trained Hollywood stars Mel Gibson and Gary Busey for the 1987 blockbuster Lethal Weapon. He is the richest member of the Gracie family, with a net worth of around $50 million.
#1 - Conor McGregor
Conor McGregor became the first UFC fighter to hold championship titles in two weight divisions simultaneously. He made his UFC debut in 2013 against Marcus Brimage and cashed a $60,000 bonus for 'Knockout of the Night'. 'Notorious' has changed the face of MMA and has proved to be one of the best things to have happened to the sport.
Conor McGregor was even considered to be Dana White's favorite fighter at one point in time and is considered by many as the face of the UFC to this day. He became the first UFC fighter to earn a million dollars in salaries and became the richest fighter in the organization's history.
At the top of Forbes' list of Highest Paid Athletes, Conor McGregor is the only representative of MMA among the elites. The majority of his earnings have come through business ventures outside of the UFC, including his professional boxing bout against Floyd Mayweather and his whiskey brand Proper No. Twelve.
With earnings higher than Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, and LeBron James, 'The Notorious' Conor McGregor is the richest UFC fighter of all time.
