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Mixed Martial Arts--- UFC 63 and UFC 64 Fighter Salary Breakdown
by Ivan Trembow
Originally Published on MMAWeekly

MMAWeekly has obtained the fighter salary information for UFC 63 and UFC 64. UFC 63 took place on September 23rd in Anaheim, California, and UFC 64 took place on October 14th in Las Vegas, Nevada.

The following figures are from the fighter salary information that the UFC is required by law to submit to the state athletic commissions, including the winners' bonuses.

Although MMA fighters are not unionized, the fighters' salaries are still public record, just as with every other major sport in the United States. Any "secret money" that the UFC also pays its fighters (specifically, PPV bonuses for the top PPV main event fighters) is not included in the figures below.

On the subject of fighter pay, Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer recently reported that despite its drastically increased revenue, Zuffa has made a conscious business decision to not raise the pay scale for all but the top pay-per-view main event fighters.

Meltzer added, "The pay scale [for non-main-event fighters] has not changed even with the success of the organization, and that's why it's a lot harder for Zuffa to put together cards with depth, even without factoring in running so many more shows per year. The best 'non-superstar' talent can get more money right now with the IFL or other groups, and that siphons away 60 to 90 potential fighters."

In the listings below, "Title Match & Main Event Fighters" are defined as fighters who compete in the main event of a show and/or compete in a title fight on a show. "Main Card Fighters" are defined as fighters whose fights appear on the main card, but not in title fights or in the main event. "Preliminary Match Fighters" are defined as fighters whose matches take place before the live broadcast goes on the air, regardless of whether or not those matches end up airing on the PPV broadcast.

Without further ado, here are the fighter salaries for UFC 63 and UFC 64 from the California State Athletic Commission and Nevada State Athletic Commission.

UFC 63 Fighter Salaries
Event took place on September 23, 2006 and aired on pay-per-view

Title Match & Main Event Fighters
-Matt Hughes: $130,000 (defeated BJ Penn)
-BJ Penn: $50,000 (lost to Matt Hughes)

Main Card Fighters
-Jens Pulver: $30,000 (lost to Joe Lauzon)
-Rashad Evans: $24,000 (defeated Jason Lambert)
-Mike Swick: $14,000 (defeated David Loiseau)
-Melvin Guillard: $10,000 (defeated Gabe Ruediger)
-Jason Lambert: $9,000 (lost to Rashad Evans)
-David Loiseau: $9,000 (lost to Mike Swick)
-Joe Lauzon: $6,000 (defeated Jens Pulver)
-Gabe Ruediger: $3,000 (lost to Melvin Guillard)

Preliminary Match Fighters
-Tyson Griffin: $14,000 (defeated David Lee)
-Jorge Gurgel: $10,000 (defeated Danny Abaddi)
-Roger Huerta: $6,000 (defeated Jason Dent)
-Danny Abaddi: $5,000 (lost to Jorge Gurgel)
-Eddie Sanchez: $4,000 (defeated Mario Neto)
-Jason Dent: $3,000 (lost to Roger Huerta)
-Mario Neto: $3,000 (lost to Eddie Sanchez)
-David Lee: $2,000 (lost to Tyson Griffin)
Disclosed Fighter Payroll for UFC 63: $332,000

UFC 64 Fighter Salaries
Event took place on October 14, 2006 and aired on pay-per-view

Title Match & Main Event Fighters
-Anderson Silva: $50,000 (defeated Rich Franklin)
-Sean Sherk: $22,000 (defeated Kenny Florian)
-Rich Franklin: $21,000 (lost to Anderson Silva)
-Kenny Florian: $8,000 (lost to Sean Sherk)

Main Card Fighters
-Cheick Kongo: $20,000 (lost to Carmelo Marrero)
-Spencer Fisher: $20,000 (defeated Dan Lauzon)
-Jon Fitch: $20,000 (defeated Kuniyoshi Hironaka)
-Kuniyoshi Hironaka: $6,000 (lost to Jon Fitch)
-Carmelo Marrero: $6,000 (defeated Cheick Kongo)
-Dan Lauzon: $3,000 (lost to Spencer Fisher)

Preliminary Match Fighters
-Yushin Okami: $12,000 (defeated Kalib Starnes)
-Clay Guida: $6,000 (defeated Justin James)
-Kalib Starnes: $5,000 (lost to Yushin Okami)
-Kurt Pellegrino: $4,000 (defeated Junior Assuncao)
-Junior Assuncao: $3,000 (lost to Kurt Pellegrino)
-Justin James: $3,000 (lost to Clay Guida)
Disclosed Fighter Payroll for UFC 64: $209,000

Labels: Mixed Martial Arts (MMA), UFC News, Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC)

posted by Ivan Trembow at 5:18 PM

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