You're right GSP made 70k and 80k in 2 of his last 6 fights. But I did say in my quote that the fighters have to make their bonuses to make a decent payday. So GSP did win those fights and earned double those figures but we are talking about one of the best MMA fighters ever. Frank Mirs' last fight with Brock Lesner in the recordbreaking UFC 100, fighter payroll of 1.8 million, he never made a bonus because he lost and he walked away with 45k. Brock made out good in that event due to great negotiations of a cut of the PPV sales. The UFC 100 made over $5 million in live gate alone. If you factor in bonuses, which aren't guaranteed, then you have to factor in the deductions like trainer fees, gym fees, sparring partner fees, and taxes. And sponsorship, which is not a fixture, is coming from an outside entity not UFC. Here is a link where Heath Herring is complaining about that only a certain few make decent salaries. Heath Herring Attacks UFC Salary Structure - Watch Kalib RunAnd the link also shows that the UFC made over $357 million in 2009 in just PPV revenue not the live gate. Considering that there were 15 UFC PPV events in 2009 and the fighters' payroll averaged about $1 million per event then you are talking about roughly 4% going to the fighters for the 2009 year. In comparison MLB, NFL, NBA, and the NHL all give more than 50% to the athletes. There are a few select UFC fighters who make a decent payday at some events but even those guys aren't getting their fair share. But back to the point. As long as UFC can get away with paying their fighters a total payroll of 4% of just their PPV take then they will remain the PPV king with no competition in sight. Simple business.
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