Zombie and Cowboy top list of UFC on Fuel TV 3 money earners
May 18, 2012
MMA Junkie reports the salaries from UFC on Fuel TV 3. The Korean Zombie, Donald Cerrone and TUF alum Amir Sadollah received the highest pay from Tuesday night.
Via MMA Junkie:
Chan Sung Jung: $34,000 (includes $17,000 win bonus)
def. Dustin Poirier: $14,000
Amir Sadollah: $48,000 (includes $24,000 win bonus)
def. Jorge Lopez: $6,000
Donald Cerrone: $60,000 (includes $30,000 win bonus)
def. Jeremy Stephens: $24,000
Yves Jabouin: $20,000 (includes $10,000 win bonus)
def. Jeff Hougland: $8,000
Igor Pokrajac: $34,000 (includes $17,000 win bonus)
def. Fabio Maldonado: $11,000
Tom Lawlor: $24,000 (includes $12,000 win bonus)
def. Jason MacDonald: $19,000
Brad Tavares: $20,000 (includes $10,000 win bonus)
def. Dongi Yang: $12,000
Cody McKenzie: $20,000 (includes $10,000 win bonus)
def. Marcus LeVesseur: $6,000
T.J. Grant: $30,000 (includes $15,000 win bonus)
def. Carlo Prater: $10,000
Rafael dos Anjos: $32,000 (includes $16,000 win bonus)
def. Kamal Shalorus: $11,000
Johnny Eduardo: $12,000 (includes $6,000 win bonus)
def. Jeff Curran: $8,000
Francisco Rivera: $12,000 (includes $6,000 win bonus)
def. Alex Soto: $6,000
Payout Perspective:
Korean Zombie only made $34,000 but cashed in with 2 bonuses with a reported total of $114,000 for the night. Cerrone avenged his loss to Nate Diaz and that loss doesn’t look too bad now considering Diaz’s victory last week. Also, Amir Sadollah received a slight bump in pay as he’s getting $24K + $24K win whereas his past couple fights he was at $20K/$20K.
Attendance, gate and bonuses from UFC on Fuel 3
May 16, 2012
MMA Weekly reports gate, attendance and bonuses for Tuesday’s UFC on Fuel 3. The event took place at the Patriot Center on the campus of George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia. event took place at the Patriot Center on the campus of George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia.
The 10,000-seat arena at the Patriot Center was half full with the official attendance at 4,592 with a gate of $343,175.
Bonuses for the night were $40,000 each:
Fight of the Night: Korean Zombie/Dustin Poirer
Submission of the Night: Korean Zombie
Knockout of the Night: Tom Lawlor
Obviously, it was the Korean Zombie’s night. Both KZ and Poirer put on a great fight for the fans. Apparently, it was fortunate that Tom Lawlor received the bonus and fight earnings. According to Cagewriter, Lawlor has borrowed money from friends and family the past year and a half to get by while waiting for a fight.
Payout Perspective:
It’s hard to compare UFC on Fuel 3 with the prior 2 when it comes to gate and attendance. The first UFC on Fuel scored 7,120 fans for a gate of $406,000. But that card was headlined by Diego Sanchez and Jake Ellenberger. For Ellenberger, he was fighting in his hometown so there was more a draw from the local fans. The second Fuel card was held in Sweden and received big numbers (15,428/$2.23 million) since it was the first time the UFC came to the country. Also, it featured local product Alex Gustafsson in the main event.
Despite the attendance on Tuesday, I think the smaller setting and college campus atmosphere is a good idea for the UFC. It attracts its targeted demo and the young fans will sure to be excited about the fights. It could potentially attract sponsors to do on campus promotions in hyping the events.
Mayweather taking home $32 million
May 5, 2012
Floyd Mayweather is set to earn a guaranteed $32 million according to the Nevada State Athletic Commission (via Dan Rafael tweet). This amount is a record eclipsing $30 million due to Mike Tyson in his 1997 fight with Evander Holyfield.
Miguel Cotto will earn $8 million and a portion of the PPV share. This will be the most Cotto will have made in his career.
In addition to his $32 million, Mayweather will receive an additional amount from PPV and other revenue generators from the night. You may recall he earned up to $40 million in his last fight against Victor Ortiz.
Dan Rafael also reports the salary figures of the undercard released by the NSAC:
-Saul “Canelo” Alvarez – $1.2 million
-Shane Mosley – $650,000
-Jessie Vargas – $125,000
-Steve Forbes – $40,000
-Deandre Latimore – $55,000
-Carlos Quintana – $23,000
Payout Perspective:
The release of Mayweather’s salary is topical considering we’re debating the privacy of fighter pay in the UFC. We only bring this up but realistically cannot compare Mayweather or Cotto’s salary to that of a UFC fighter. But, it’s interesting to look at the other salaries on the card. Certainly, this is a big card and cannot be compared with a regular boxing card or a regular UFC PPV, but it shows that boxing can payout its fighters.
UFC left off of ESPN salary list for lack of information
May 3, 2012
Earlier this week, ESPN released its list of highest paid athletes in sports. Notably, the list left off the sport of MMA and specifically the UFC due to the fact that it could not confirm salary data.
MMA Fighting wrote that Dana White is right and wrong with not releasing fighter salary data. It states that White is right to withhold salary info because it is private. Presumably, it protects the privacy of its fighters by not telling everyone how much they make per fight. However, there is a reason to release salaries:
Football, basketball and baseball are mainstream because they’re big business. And part of the reason we know they’re big business is because players salaries are made public.
It then argued a reason to make salaries public is to entice up and coming fighters.
And make no mistake, there are plenty of possible MMA stars who are on football fields. In many parts of the country, football and wrestling work together to create quality athletes. But then what happens? As the athlete progresses, he starts thinking about his future. And where is there a better chance for a future? Of course most, if given the opportunity, will move on to football. Why? Because long-term, there is a chance for a windfall payday. Even if it’s remote, there is a chance.
It uses the Jones brothers as an example. Two of the Jones brothers are now in the NFL while Jon is probably the most famous as the UFC champ. This example is flawed considering there is no evidence that Jon Jones was good at football (or any other sport) and chose MMA instead.
Payout Perspective:
MMA Fighting’s argument that the sport of MMA could lose out on potential athletes because of the lack of salary information is improbable. Most likely athletes will choose their profession based on the best possible chance of making it in the professional ranks of the sport. There are examples of athletes choosing a sport and then reversing course. (NFL First Rounder Brandon Wheedon played baseball a couple years before going back to play college football and getting drafted.) But that example is beyond the scope of the theory that someone will actually choose a sport based on how much you could make. There are instances of former football players taking up MMA after their pigskin career is done. But, that is after their first career is over.
Moreover, it’s not plausible to think that someone would choose a career in MMA over a career in NFL because money in MMA is not as good as that in professional football. Even without knowing the salary structure in MMA, one need only look to the salaries that NFL rookies will make to assume that if you had a choice to play professionally or fight in MMA, one would choose the NFL.
Transparency of the UFC’s salaries lends credibility to the sport based in part on the fact that the other sports are willing to reveal the way it pays its athletes. For the UFC to say “it’s none of your business” makes it seem that it is hiding something rather than protecting the privacy of its fighters. The ESPN OTL report builds on the premise that it is hiding something. Like it or not, that is how it is perceived.
UFC 145 Salaries: Jones, Evans and Rothwell top payroll
April 25, 2012
MMA Junkie reports the salaries for UFC 145 as released by the Georgia Athletic and Entertainment Commission. Jon Jones and Rashad Evans were at the top of the $1.2 million payroll.
Via MMA Junkie:
Champ Jon Jones: $400,000 (no win bonus)
def. Rashad Evans: $300,000
Rory MacDonald: $36,000 (includes $18,000 win bonus)
def. Che Mills: $8,000
Ben Rothwell: $104,000 (includes $52,000 win bonus)
def. Brendan Schaub: $14,000
Michael McDonald: $16,000 (includes $8,000 win bonus)
def. Miguel Torres: $32,000
Eddie Yagin: $12,000 (includes $6,000 win bonus)
def. Mark Hominick: $17,000
Mark Bocek: $46,000 (includes $23,000 win bonus)
def. John Alessio: $10,000
Travis Browne: $24,000 (includes $12,000 win bonus)
def. Chad Griggs: $27,000
Matt Brown: $36,000 (includes $18,000 win bonus)
def. Stephen Thompson: $8,000
Anthony Njokuani: $24,000 (includes $12,000 win bonus)
def. John Makdessi: $12,000
Mac Danzig: $54,000 (includes $27,000 win bonus)
def. Efrain Escudero: $10,000
Chris Clements: $12,000 (includes $6,000 win bonus)
def. Keith Wisniewski: $10,000
Marcus Brimage: $16,000 (includes $8,000 win bonus)
def. Maximo Blanco: $13,000
Payout Perspective:
It’s interesting that Ben Rothwell was third highest on the payroll. Also Efrain Escudero’s return to the UFC meant a pay cut from his TUF winner contract. “Wonderboy” was the only fighter making less than $10,000. A rather low payroll despite the fact that $700,000 of the payroll was dedicated to the main event.
UFC on Fuel TV 2 attendance, gate and bonuses
April 14, 2012
UFC on Fuel TV 2 this afternoon (for those in the states) drew 15,428 fans and a record gate of $2.23 million. According to MMA Junkie, it ranked among the top five all-time UFC European shows of all time.
The event took place at the Ericsson Globe Arena in Stockholm, Sweden. It set attendance and gate records for the venue. There is no local athletic commission in Sweden so there will not be any official figures aside from the figures provided by the UFC.
In addition to the attendance and gate, Dana White announced the fight night bonuses. Each received $50,000.
Fight of the Night: Damacio Page vs. John Maguire Brad Pickett (sorry for the mistake)
Submission of the Night: Brad Pickett for a perfect armbar reversal from a kimura attempt.
KO of the Night: Siyar Bahadurzada
Usually the FOTN does not end in a submission but the UFC decided to give it to Page and Maguire. As an aside, does anyone else remember Page from TapouT’s reality show on Versus in 2007. Page was actually featured in the very first show.
Payout Perspective:
The attendance and gate figures reflect the global popularity of the UFC brand and its likely that we will see venture into new areas in Europe and Asia. It will also think about returning to Sweden based on the crowd. It would also help if Alexander Gustafsson becomes a contender in the light heavyweight division.
Is there a need for MMA managers?
February 13, 2012
MMA Junkie had a recent article on the managers’ role in representing fighters. With the recent departures of Jose Aldo and Mauricio Rua from their representation, the need for managers has come into question.
The Junkie article looks at long time manager Alex Davis as he discusses the need for a fighter to have good management. He also addresses the question of whether top notch fighters need representation anymore. This comes on the heels of Rua’s statement (which could have been taken out of context) that the UFC does not want its fighters to have managers.
Via MMA Junkie:
“Some people will say that once a fighter reaches a level where he enters the UFC, he doesn’t need management anymore, but usually a manager has worked very hard to get him to that point without ever getting properly rewarded for his efforts,” Davis said. “Only once a fighter is at the top can a manager have a chance at making something in the deal, which is only fair. Not only that, but its not like, ‘Hey, great, now I am in the UFC. My problems are over!’ Far from that. Things get way more complicated.
Davis identifies more responsibility outside of just fighting that the fighter must consider once he makes it in the UFC. There are many tasks that a manager should handle while the fighter concentrates on training.
In addition, the manager may have contacts with sponsors and promoters in helping the younger fighter achieve his goals.
Payout Perspective:
Manager and agent may be two separate jobs or one in the same. Certainly fighters can have both or one individual to handle both duties.
One need only look to Matt Mitrione, Brandon Vera and Alistair Overeem more recently as examples of what happens when you have issues with management. Mitrione publicly fired his manager, Vera lost a year due to a contractual dispute and Overeem is currently in litigation with Golden Glory.
Then there are Georges St. Pierre and Frankie Edgar who left Shari Spencer to go with closer ties to manage their career.
Still, there are many MMA management agencies that take care of their fighters in securing sponsorships and public appearances. This can go a long way in getting fighters the visibility, notoriety and opportunity to increase the value of their own personal brand.
Heavy MMA had a good two part (one and two) series last year on the role of an agent.
The Junkie article points out the reasons that a good manager is necessary in a fighters’ career. Certainly, there are many responsibilities and tasks a manager needs to do in helping fighters prepare for their next fight while making sure they maximize their opportunities.
The question is how much is a manager worth to a fighter? For top tier fighters, do they need a manager? Can the fighter have someone do the same tasks for less, without having to give up a portion of their purse or sponsorship payout. We will see if consolidation of management duties becomes a trend in MMA. There is a definite need for good representation, but at what cost?
UFC announces quarterly twitter bonuses
February 7, 2012
The UFC announced via twitter its second set of quarterly twitter bonuses. Each fighter received $5,000 for their use of twitter.
Most Followers: Junior dos Santos (@Junior_Cigano), Anderson Silva (@SpiderAnderson), Brendan Schaub (@BrendanSchaub) and Cung Le (@CungLe185).
Biggest Percentage of Growth: Jake Ellenberger (@EllenbergerMMA,) Cung Le, Roy Nelson (@RoyNelsonMMA) and Rodrigo Nogueira (@MinotauroMMA)
Most Creative: Tim Kennedy (@TimKennedyMMA), Pat Barry (@HypeOrDie), Joseph Benavidez (@JoeB135) and Duane Ludwig (@DuaneBangCom)
Specifically, Pat Barry won most creative for his video with former opponent Mirko Cro Cop. I’ll let the video explain:
Payout Perspective:
Interesting that Cung Le won in two categories and its not known whether he’ll be back in the UFC. You may recall that Le garnered a $350,000 base for his loss to Wanderlei Silva at UFC 139. The wins in most followers and biggest growth for this quarter shows that Le is still a commodity in the UFC. Le tweeted that he would use some of the money toward prizes for his followers for upcoming UFC and Strikeforce fights.
UFC 143 salaries released
February 6, 2012
MMA Junkie reports that the salaries for UFC 143 with Nick Diaz and Josh Koshcheck heading up the list. Diaz earned a reported base of $200,000 while Koscheck received $146,000 for his win.
The Nevada State Athletic Commission released the salary information today. The total UFC payroll for Saturday night totaled $880,500.
Via MMA Junkie:
Carlos Condit: $110,000 (includes $55,000 win bonus)
def. Nick Diaz: $200,000
Fabricio Werdum: $100,000 (no win bonus)
def. Roy Nelson: $20,000
Josh Koscheck: $146,000 (includes $73,000 win bonus)
def. Mike Pierce: $20,000
Renan Barao: $22,000 (includes $11,000 win bonus)
def. Scott Jorgensen: $20,500
Ed Herman: $62,000 (includes $31,000 win bonus)
def. Clifford Starks: $8,000
Dustin Poirier: $24,000 (includes $12,000 win bonus)
def. Max Holloway: $6,000
Edwin Figueroa: $16,000 (includes $8,000 win bonus)
def. Alex Caceres: $8,000
Matt Brown: $30,000 (includes $15,000 win bonus)
def. Chris Cope: $8,000
Matt Riddle: $30,000 (includes $15,000 win bonus)
def. Henry Martinez: $6,000
Rafael Natal: $20,000 (includes $10,000 win bonus)
def. Michael Kuiper: $6,000
Stephen Thompson: $12,000 (includes $6,000 win bonus)
def. Dan Stittgen: $6,000
Payout Perspective:
Notably, Diaz and Werdum had flat fees for their work. Condit earned $110K with a $55K win bonus which means that he was only guaranteed $55K in a title fight. In comparison, Condit’s last fight before 143, he earned $34K plus $34K win bonus for a total of $68,000 (UFC 132 versus Dong Hyun Kim). Hopefully he received a locker room bonus for his fight. It looks like $6K was the bottom pay for the night for four fighters while three others received $8K.
UFC responds to ESPN piece
January 16, 2012
The UFC released its response to ESPN’s feature on fighter pay. Dana White introduced ESPN’s full-length interview of Lorenzo Fertitta and called ESPN’s story “a piece of trash.”
The response video is what the UFC calls the unedited version of Fertitta’s interview which implies that ESPN edited its story to fit with what it wanted to portray. In the UFC’s response, Fertitta points out that some of the boxers featured on ESPN’s Friday Night Fights received $275 and that the UFC pays its lower tier fighters much more than that.
Seems like a good comparison but for the fact that the UFC and boxing structures are different. Also, ESPN’s role in its Friday Night Fights is not the same as the UFC’s.
Bad Left Hook sets us straight:
First of all, ESPN is not a fight promoter. This is an enormous difference. For a UFC card on FX, the UFC is pretty much in control of everything. ESPN just airs fights. They have the right to turn down a proposed fight, but that’s about it. Everything is really up to the promoters of the actual fight card.
Fertitta claims, and I’m sure he’s telling the truth, that someone fought on Friday Night Fights in a four-round bout for $275. What Fertitta doesn’t reveal — or perhaps does not actually know — is that anyone in a four-round fight that winds up on the broadcast, on TV, was positioned in a swing fight that was going to air only if there was time remaining in the two-hour time slot. There are no four-round fights purposely scheduled to air on ESPN’s series. A four-round fight is the lowest level of professional boxing, and frankly to call the majority of four-round bouts “professional boxing” is kind of a stretch; the fighters don’t often resemble what we’re used to seeing on TV, even from the middle-of-the-pack guys that get on ESPN or HBO or Showtime. It’s kind of like comparing high school football to the NFL most of the time.
Additionally, Scott Christ reiterates the sentiments I have had when the UFC-Fox deal became a reality:
UFC wants to play with the big boys in sports now. That means attention from big boy sports media, and that inevitably leads to criticism and a realistic assessment of their product and their business. The rah-rah days are dying, and it’s because of White’s ambition as much as anything else. He’s brought them here. Now they have to accept where they’re at and what comes along with that standing.
How much Zuffa revenue goes to fighters is another issue in the fighter pay debate. Dave Metzler points out that without the financial information the percentage of revenue going to fighters is a moving target:
In an attempt to use figures based on Zuffa’s percentage of an 800,000-buy show, which is the rough industry estimate on UFC 141, the $3.1 million live gate, using listed fighter pay, announced bonuses, estimates of unannounced bonuses, and percentages of pay–per-view revenue built into the main eventers’ contracts, give you a very rough figure of 28 percent going to talent. However, for the Jan. 7, Strikeforce show in Las Vegas, with a very small gate figure and a full roster of fighters to pay, that figure could easily have been in the range of 50 percent.
Metzler goes on to assert that pro wrestling, not boxing, is a closer business model to the UFC:
The closest business model to UFC is that of World Wrestling Entertainment, which is believed to pay in the range of 13-15 percent of its total revenue to its performers. While some will argue WWE is a form of performance art and not a real athletic competition – and thus the performers don’t deserve as much money – the dollars WWE derives from its performers, who take a legitimate physical pounding, is every bit as green as those which UFC makes.
Payout Perspective:
I think the UFC response (minus Dana White’s usual pleasantries to opposition) is compelling but it obviously has some flaws. From a purely PR standpoint, its a good response to the ESPN piece. What would have helped the UFC in its response is if the UFC had some up and coming fighters state how much they are paid and agree that its great. Realistically, I think the UFC could have done this because I’m sure some fighters are just glad they are getting a shot. Having Serra, Liddell and Griffin talk is fine but they are all “company men”; well-established, past champions of the UFC.
If you didn’t read Metzler or Christ’s great piece over on Bad Left Hook, most people exposed to this debate would look at the UFC response and say, “Hey, that’s true. What about boxing’s pay?” But, its hard to compare the UFC to other sports league due to the difference in business models. The fact remains that with success comes scrutiny. ESPN, like every other TV investigative show, likely had an agenda when interviewing Fertitta. That does not necessarily mean ESPN is bad or “hates the sport.” But, it means that the UFC should be aware of the issues it now faces with more exposure.
