Those joking that Ronda Rousey’s 17-second armbar of Gina Carano in the main event of MVP MMA 1 was her “easiest payday” may not be stretching the truth too much.
Though it’s more of a rarity these days, the base fighter pay for the MVP MMA card is now known, thanks to the disclosure by the California State Athletic Commission (CSAC).
Rousey, one of the headliners for the inaugural MVP MMA event, was the biggest earner of the evening, taking home a $2.2 million purse.
Rousey’s opponent, Carano, was the third-biggest earner, taking home a $1.05 million payday.
Between the two was Francis Ngannou. The former UFC heavyweight champion took home $1.5 million for his first-round knockout of Phillipe Lins.
It should be noted that the reported pay by the CSAC does not include any win bonuses, signing bonuses, incentive-based bonuses, or sponsorship revenue.
The lowest base pay for the MVP card was $40,000. Co-founder Nakisa Bidarian previously told Uncrowned that this would be the minimum fighter pay, nearly four times more than the UFC’s lowest show money pay for fighters.
The full list of MVP MMA fighter disclosed pay by the CSAC can be found below:
- Ronda Rousey: $2,200,000
- Gina Carano: $1,050,000
- Nate Diaz: $500,000
- Mike Perry: $400,000
- Francis Ngannou: $1,500,000
- Philipe Lins: $100,000
- Salahdine Parnasse: $70,000
- Kenny Cross: $50,000
- Junior dos Santos: $80,000
- Robelis Despaigne: $50,000
- Namo Fazil: $40,000
- Jake Babian: $40,000
- Adriano Moraes: $80,000
- Phumi Nkuta: $60,000
- Jason Jackson: $110,000
- Jeff Creighton: $50,000
- David Mgoyan: $50,000
- Albert Morales: $40,000
- Aline Pereira: $40,000
- Jade Masson-Wong: $40,000
- Chris Avila: $50,000
- Brandon Jenkins: $40,000