Okay, let me walk you through how I figured out who’s likely pulling in the big bucks in the UFC this year, 2024. It wasn’t as straightforward as just looking up a list, let me tell ya.
My Starting Point
So, I was watching some fight highlights the other day, I think it was an old McGregor fight, and it got me thinking. You hear these crazy numbers thrown around, millions for a single night’s work. But who’s really at the top of the pile right now, in 2024? Not just based on old fame, but current earnings. That’s what kicked off my little investigation.
Hitting the Search Engines
First thing I did, obviously, was hit up Google. Typed in stuff like:
- “highest paid ufc fighter 2024”
- “ufc top earners current year”
- “who makes the most money in ufc now”
Got a flood of results, mostly sports news sites, blogs, forums. Lots of lists, lots of speculation.
Sorting Through the Noise
Right away, I noticed a few names popping up constantly: Conor McGregor, Jon Jones, Israel Adesanya. No surprise there, these guys are huge names. But the problem started when I tried to pin down actual, solid numbers for 2024.
See, the UFC doesn’t just publish everyone’s pay stubs. You get the “disclosed payout” which is the guaranteed money reported to the athletic commissions. But that’s just the tip of the iceberg. The real money for the top dogs comes from:
- PPV points: A cut of the pay-per-view sales. This can be massive for big draws.
- Backroom bonuses: Stuff Dana White might hand out that isn’t publicly announced.
- Sponsorships: Deals fighters have outside the UFC (though the UFC uniform deal limits this during fight week). Venum pay is a factor too, but tiered.
- Other ventures: Like Conor’s whiskey brand, that’s outside UFC money but adds to their overall wealth.
Digging Deeper for Clues
So, just looking at disclosed purses wasn’t gonna cut it. I started cross-referencing articles from places I trust a bit more, like ESPN, MMA Junkie, maybe Forbes if they did a sports money list. I looked for reports specifically mentioning recent big fights and their estimated total earnings, including PPV shares.
Conor McGregor is always tricky. He didn’t fight in 2023 and hasn’t fought yet in 2024 (as of my looking). But his name still comes up because his potential return fight would be huge, and his past earnings and Proper No. Twelve money keep him relevant in any “highest paid” discussion. If he fights in 24, he’ll likely top the list for that event.
Jon Jones definitely got a massive payday for his return and heavyweight title win against Gane in 2023. Rumors were flying about his guaranteed purse plus PPV making it one of the biggest single-fight payouts. If he fights again in 2024, expect similar big numbers.
Israel Adesanya is consistently active and a big PPV draw. His deals seem structured to reward him well when he headlines cards. Even with his loss, he remains one of the main faces and earners.
I also kept an eye out for guys like Dustin Poirier or Charles Oliveira, who might not have the same crossover fame but get good money for headlining big cards, especially Poirier from the McGregor fights.
The Conclusion (Sort Of)
After digging around, reading reports, and trying to piece together the puzzle of disclosed pay, PPV estimates, and general star power, here’s my take:
It’s tough to give one definitive name with an exact number. The UFC keeps the juiciest details under wraps. But based on recent activity, drawing power, and reported/estimated earnings:
- Jon Jones likely had one of the highest, if not the highest, earning periods around his heavyweight title win, carrying into early 2024 discussions.
- Israel Adesanya remains consistently near the top due to his activity and PPV draw.
- And you can never count out Conor McGregor. If he actually fights in 2024, he’ll almost certainly have the single biggest payday for that event, potentially making him the highest earner for the year depending on how many times others fight.
So, it’s not a simple answer. It really depends on who fights, when they fight, and how well their PPV sells. But those three names are the ones constantly in the mix for the top spot in 2024 based on everything I could find.
