A lawsuit filed in Las Vegas in December by the former management company of heavyweight Alistair Overeem against Overeem provides a rare glimpse into the UFC's often secretive and multilayered methods of paying its top fighters. Overeem earned a bout fee of $264,285 for defeating Brock Lesnar in UFC 141 and another $121,428 as a "win bonus," according to figures reported to the Nevada Athletic Commission. What the UFC did not have to report, and what's alleged in the lawsuit, is that Overeem also earned a "Pay Per View bonus of $2.00/view for each viewer" in the U.S., Canada and online in excess of $500,000. Additionally, according to the lawsuit, Overeem earned one-third of a $1 million signing bonus he'd agreed to in September as part of a three-fight deal with the UFC. Rob Maysey, an Arizona-based attorney who in 2005 founded the Mixed Martial Arts Fighters Association, said the UFC structured Overeem's contract in such a way that the overwhelming amount of Overeem's earnings for defeating Lesnar, some $2 million by Maysey's estimate, amounted to off-the-books money, and therefore remained unknown to other fighters who might be intent on negotiating similarly lucrative deals. No wonder GG are made and filed a law suit. No wonder Overeem came to the UFC. That's the most amount of money his ever made in a fight. The UFC have clearly made a massive gamble on him.
I knew fighters were earning more then what we thought when i seen Koshcheck drives around in a brand new ferrari.. Reem deserved every cent he got...there are putrid heavyweight boxers earning millions recently so why not mma genuine heavyhitters.
There was 800,000 buys so he made 600k from the PPVs as well as 333k from the signing on bonus. From the UFC alone he cleared an easy million and that isn't including sponsorship money.
But your talking about an EXCEPTIONAL case that. Overeem is clearly NOT the norm. Most fighters would NEVER see that kind of money. The UFC is/was obviously willing to splash the cash on him as they'll stand to make many times more than that off him. In other words it makes economic sense for both party's. 99% of UFC fighters past or present wouldn't even get a sniff at money like that.
He would have been a fool not to sign. Very obvious that Overeem stood to make millions in the US market now that his commercial value and success in the K-1/SF/DREAM have done him so well. Just a shame he and GG couldn't have parted on amicable terms. That said there will be PLENTY of other fighters, especially the heavy's that will be none to happy about this.
Plus dont forget Dana personally wants to suck Reems ****...So reems going to make millions more come jds bout..
I'm not saying every fighter gets two million but every does get more than reported by the commission. Every time a contract is opened up in public that becomes ever clearer.
Bit academic though if the UFC is willfully with holding information. They'd be better off not publishing anything at all.