Top 10 Highest Paid UFC Fighters 2022 - The Technology MMA (2023)

UFC otherwise known as Ultimate Fighting Championship, is an American mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion organization situated in Las Vegas, Nevada and currently owned by Zuffa, LLC. The UFC is the head MMA promotion in the world. Accordingly, the most elite and skilled MMA fighters routinely fight under Dana White’s (president of UFC) banner.

The pay day of a fighter mostly depends upon his fighting skills and mic work along with the excitement it brings to the combat sports loving fans. The example being Chael Sonnen being one of the best trash talkers in the UFC followed by Michael Bisping who during his fight with Luke Rockhold showed his mic work.

From the likes of Brock Lesnar to Jon Jones, who showed the path of popularity to everyone and became superstars and are among The Top 10 Highest Paid UFC Fighters. Currently, the poster boy of UFC, Conor Mcgregor showed how much a fighter can make in UFC if he has fighting skills along with the persona to carry himself and become fan favorite. His battle with Nate Diaz and Khabib Nurmagamedov is most talked about and one of the highest selling Pay-Per View of the UFC’s history.

Top 10 Highest Paid UFC Fighters 2022 list aims to provide the information about the top ten highest-paid active UFC fighters on the UFC’s roster based on their recent PPV earnings.

#10. Max Holloway

Max ‘Blessed’ Holloway is a Hawaii born professional mixed martial artist. He currently competes in theFeatherweightdivision in theUltimate Fighting Championship (UFC). He joined UFC in 2010 and became the UFC Featherweight Champion of the world when he defeated Featherweight legend and Champion José Aldo on June 3, 2017, beforedefending the title three times. He is currently #1 in UFC featherweight ranking. Unfortunately for the Hawaiian legend, he lost his featherweight championship after losing back to back fights to Australian born Alexander Volkanovski.

At UFC 276, Holloway reportedly made $552,000 (according to www.mmasalaries.com).Also, at UFC on ABC, he defeated Calvin Kattar in one of the most spectacular performances in the history of the octagon (more than 500 strikes landed by Max Holloway). Holloway thus makes the list at number 10 in the list of Top 10 Highest Paid UFC Fighters 2022.

#9. Nate Diaz

Nathan Diazis an American professional mixed martial artistpreviously in the UFC and currently a free agent who is reportedly on verge of signing with ONE Championship. NateDiaz fan base reached rooftop following his submission win over Conor McGregor at UFC 196.Recently, Nate Diaz exited the UFC promotion following a submission win over Tony Ferguson at UFC 279 in September 2022 after the expiry of his UFC contract.

At UFC 279, Diaz reportedly made $1 million (according to www.mmasalaries.com) after his win against last minister replacement Tony Ferguson. As a result of his massive fan following, Nate Diaz is at number 9 in the list of Top 10 Highest Paid UFC Fighters 2022.

#8. Justin Gaethje

Justin Gaethje is an American born professional mixed martial artist. He currently competes in the Lightweight division in the UFC. He is a former Interim UFC Lightweight Champion of the world when he defeated Tony Ferguson at UFC 249. Currently, he is #3 in the UFC lightweight rankings. Justin has fought two times in 2022 which includes fights against Charles Oliveira at UFC 274 for the vacant UFC Lightweight Championship of the world in which he was defeated by Oliveira via rear naked choke.

At UFC 274, Justin reportedly earned a purse of $650,000 (according to www.sportszion.com). Also, at UFC 268, he made around $556,000 (according to www.mmasalaries.com) for his fight of the night win against Michael Chandler. The exciting fight style along with his fight bonuses helped Justin to be at number 8 in the list of Top 10 Highest Paid UFC Fighters 2022.

#7. Amanda Nunes

Current UFC women’s bantamweight women’s featherweight champion of the world, Amanda Nunes is one of the widely regarded greatest women’s MMA fighter of all time. She is a well-rounded mixed martial artist with unprecedented punching power, excellent grappling skills combined with destructive offensive Brazilian jiu-jitsu.

At UFC 277, Amanda Nunes again got her double-champ status as she defeated Julianna Pena over 5 rounds. Reportedly, Amanda Nunes got a payout of approx. $1.1 million including bonuses and sponsorship deals. The undefeatability of the Lioness has made her to be at number 7 in the list of Top 10 Highest Paid UFC Fighters 2022.

#6. Petr Yan

Petr Yanis a Russian professionalmixed martial artist with arguably finest boxing skills in the UFC roster . He currently competes in the UFC Bantamweightdivision in theUltimate Fighting Championship (UFC). He became UFC Bantamweight Champion by defeating Jose Aldo. He is currently ranked #1 in the UFC bantamweight rankings. Petr Yan lost his bantamweight champion title disqualification to Sterling due to illegal knee.

Yan then went on to win the thrilling encounter with a unanimous decision victory and Fight of the Night honors against Cory Sandhagan to set up a long-awaited rematch between him and Sterling. Finally, at UFC 273, Yan was again defeated by Aljamain Sterling by a split decision

At UFC 273, Yan pocketed around $1.5 million (according to www.mmasalaries.com and www.sportszion.com) against his rematch with Sterling. The consistent performer Petr Yan is therefore at number 6 in the list of Top 10 Highest Paid UFC Fighters 2022.

#5 Jorge Masvidal

Jorge Masvidal,an American professional mixed martial artistcurrently competes in the Welterweight division (formerly competed in lightweight division) for the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). He became the first and only ‘BMF’ champion after his one-sided beatdown of Nate Diaz. He holds the record for the fastest knockout in UFC history at five seconds after his record-setting knockout over Ben Askren. However, his star power has taken a hit after suffering two back-to-back losses to reigning welterweight champion Kamaru Usman.

The third loss to former friend and former interim Welterweight Champion of the UFC, Colby Covington was yet another setback on Masvidal’s record as he is now 0-3 in his last three fights, all of which he lost in lopsided fashion. While his performances were not up to the level of his counterparts during the fight, still he reportedly earned $800,000 (according to www.sportbible.com) for his stunning one punch knockout loss to Kamaru Usman.

At UFC 272, he reportedly is said to have made around $1.55 million (according to www.totalsportal.com) due to pay-per-view share as per his new signed contract. The insane popularity of Jorge ‘Gamebred’ Masvidal made him to be at number 5 in the list of Top 10 Highest Paid UFC Fighters 2022.

#4. Charles Oliveira

Charles Oliveirais a Brazilian born professional mixed martial artist.He competes in the Lightweight division in the UFC, where he is a former UFC Lightweight Champion (title relinquished due to missing weight). Oliveira holds the UFC record for themost submission winsin the history of UFC at 16, and most finishes at 19. Currently, he is #1 mma fighter in the UFC lightweight rankings.

Oliveira is one 11 fight win streak and is going to face Dagestan’s Sambo Champion and #4 rank Lightweight Contender in the UFC, Islam Makhachev at UFC 280.

At UFC 274, Oliveira fought a decorated striker Justin Gaethje, and submitted him with a rear-naked choke to reportedly earn $1,602,000 (according towww.sportszion.com) which includes show up money win bonus, sponsorship earnings and performance bonus.

Also, before facing Gaethje, Oliveira fought Dustin Poirier and defeated him via rear-naked choke with his reported earning of $1 million to $1.6 million due to undisclosed PPV points, according to www.sportsmanor.comandwww.totalsportal.com). The exciting fighting style of Do Bronx has made him the fan favorite and therefore he is at number 4 in the list of Top 10 Highest Paid UFC Fighters 2022.

#3. Alexander Volkanovski

Alexander Volkanovskiis an Australian bornmixed martial artist. He currently competes in the Featherweight division and is the current Featherweight Champion inthe Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC).He is also the current #1 fighter in the UFC men’s pound-for-pound rankings.His last performance against the Featherweight legend Max Holloway showed how much ahead he is of his fellow fighters in the division. He is currently undefeated in the UFC.

In his one sided win over Max Holloway at UFC 276, Volkanovski reportedly earned $1.3 million (according towww.mmasalaries.com) including his base salary, PPV bonus, Fight of the Night bonus, and sponsorship bonus. Also at UFC 273, his victory over Chan Sung Jung resulted in a reported payout of $1.8 million (according towww.mmasalaries.com). The undefeated Featherweight great is at number 3 in the list of Top 10 Highest Paid UFC Fighters 2022.

#2. Kamaru Usman

Kamarudeen Usman is a Nigeria born professionalmixed martial artist.He currently competes in the welterweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). He is the former former UFC Welterweight Champion as well as former #1 pound-for-pound UFC fighter in the world(currently at #4).He has single handedly cleaned up welterweight division of the UFC defeating the likes of Tyron Woodley, Colby Covington, Gilbert Burns and Jorge Masvidal. He was one win away from overpassing Anderson Silvia’s record, however he was defeated by Leon Edwards via knockout at UFC 278.

#1. Israel Adesanya

Israel ‘The Last Stylebender’ Adesanyais a Nigerian-New Zealander born professional mixed martial artist.He currently competes in the Middleweight division in theUFC, where he is the current UFC Middleweight Champion in the world.Currently,he is #2 in the UFC men’s pound-for-pound rankings. He is currentlyUndefeated in the middleweight division, however he has one defeat against Jan Blachowicz at UFC 259. Heis currently scheduled to face the only fighter to have ever defeated him twice in combat sports: Alex ‘Poatan’ Pereira at UFC 281.

Israel Adesanya was paid $1.8 million for his fight against Jared Cannonier at UFC 276 (according to www.mmasalaries.com). Also, he reportedly earned $1.8 million ( according to www.totalsports.com) for his fight against Robert Whittaker at UFC 271, thus making more than $3 million this year. The last stylebender due to his in ring performance and persona along with his engaging performances is the highest earing UFC fighter in 2022.

(Video) Rodtang vs. Demetrious Johnson | ONE Championship Full Fight