An expert report in the UFC anti-trust case reveals the estimated pay of top stars such as Conor McGregor, Ronda Rousey, and Jon Jones between 2011-2016, with McGregor making approximately $25 million in bouts during that time period.
An expert report recently released in the ongoing UFC anti-trust case provides insight into the earnings of top fighters such as Conor McGregor, Ronda Rousey, Jon Jones, and others from 2011 to 2016. The report, authored by anti-trust expert Robert Blair, was commissioned by defense attorneys for Zuffa, the promotion company being sued by a group of fighters for alleged anti-competitive practices. Initially redacted, the report was later ordered to be submitted in its unredacted form by Nevada federal judge Richard Boulware. The report includes a table of “internal Zuffa bout compensation,” revealing the pay for fighters during that time period.
Among the fighters mentioned in the report, Conor McGregor stands out with the largest paydays. It is estimated that McGregor made approximately $25 million from his fights against Chad Mendes, Jose Aldo, Nate Diaz, and Eddie Alvarez. The report does not provide the names of individual fighters, but when cross-referenced with historical data, interviews, and other sources from the anti-trust suit, it strongly suggests the recipients of the largest paydays were the star fighters headlining the events.
The report’s appendix includes a breakdown of the compensation per year and the number of fighters receiving that compensation for their UFC bouts. It does not provide names, making it impossible to identify fighters solely based on the report. However, publications such as MMA Fighting have matched the top payouts mentioned in the report with known fights and fighters to estimate their salaries.
For example, Conor McGregor’s disclosed pay in certain fights was much lower than what the report suggests. In his bout against Chad Mendes at UFC 189, his disclosed pay was $500,000, but the report indicates a payment of $2.11 million when including a discretionary bonus. Similar variations can be seen in the disclosed pay of Ronda Rousey, Jon Jones, Anderson Silva, Georges St-Pierre, and other fighters mentioned in the report.
This expert report sheds light on the potential earnings of top UFC stars during the specified time period and provides important evidence for the ongoing anti-trust case. With the trial expected to take place in April, the report’s findings will likely play a crucial role in determining the outcome of the lawsuit.