Media Chael Sonnen Says Only Got Paid "$35,000" For First Fight Vs Anderson Silva

[Black9]

Had One Of The Highest PPV numbers ever at the time crazy.
I cant be the only one that thinks that's wild right? Considering the hype it had behind it.

Says it around the 12 minute mark.

-Update- Fighter Purse from UFC 117- Credit to @GordonMMARamsey

UFC 117 salaries: Anderson Silva and Matt Hughes top $1 million fighter payroll

Headliner Anderson Silva ($200,000) and main-card winners Matt Hughes ($200,000) and Jon Fitch ($108,000) were the top earners at this month’s UFC 117 event.

mmajunkie.usatoday.com

 

[loisestrad]

I trust Chael Sonnen. Then again, I'm a fucking idiot.

 

[HuskySamoan]

it had the 2nd highest PPV numbers at the time crazy how bad the pay was back then moreso than now
Says it around the 12 minute mark.

That's nuts, regardless of PPV sales, to headline a PPV and challenge for a title to only make 35k/35k is absurd. I'm skeptical to believe him though, he's kinda a company man, could be lying to make the UFC look good for how far pay has actually come. Regardless, dude made bank for the rest of his career after that fight.

I've heard Cormier talk about how much he's made and how much he knows guys made per fight as champs (said Izzy and Usman made around 4-5m per title defense) and I also have heard Pettis talk about getting multiple backroom checks when he was champ, one for 1m and another for over 500k. It's really hard to believe Sonnen only got 35k for that performance but who knows, maybe.

It's obvious the UFC goes to great lengths to not release how much fighters actually make, so they can't be leveraged on pay by their athletes and other promotions.

 

[Sweater of AV]

Had the 2nd Highest PPV numbers at the time

Not a chance that's true.

 

[Black9]

Not a chance that's true

You're right! corrected. Hopefully i meant 22nd now that i look at the stats lol

Still craziness though.

 

[Dr Fong]

It's likely true even though he lied to inflate his salary for the second Anderson fight (absurdly claiming he earned 8 million).

We know from court documents what he got paid for Anderson 2 and Jones, which was a flat million bonus on top of his shitty 50k salary.

They probably didn't give him that million for the first fight as he was just seen as a gimme fight for Silva. Nothing is too moustache-twirling evil when it comes to fighter pay for U Fight Cheap.

 

[Only Here for Attachments]

Was that before or after melting the drug test?

 

[Skarsgard]

Makes sense. Up until that point, he was just another blanket wrestler that choked (sometimes literally) at every big opportunity.

 

[The Boomerang]

Overpaid

 

[Sweater of AV]

You're right! corrected! Hopefully i meant 22nd now that i look at the stats lol

Still craziness though.

Didn't watch the video but honestly I'm not all that surprised. People have always been scared to ask for more money or try to change their contract. You didn't want to piss off Dana or Joe Silva or you'd be tossed to the side and someone who was willing to fight for peanuts would take your place. I also don't recall expecting the first fight to do huge numbers.

Chael probably set himself up well for the rematch though.

 

[usernamee]

Weidman was on 24k/24k when he fought Anderson Silva.

 

[filthybliss]

Chael is not gonna end up in hall of fame if he talks about fighter pay so openly like this.

 

[EndlessCritic]

Chael is not gonna end up in hall of fame if he talks about fighter pay so openly like this.

They literally just added Chael vs Silva 1 to the HOF.

 

[Chubi]

Chael was unknown before the Silva fight, like a 2010 Belal Muhammad.

 

[humperdoo]

Didn't watch the video but honestly I'm not all that surprised. People have always been scared to ask for more money or try to change their contract. You didn't want to piss off Dana or Joe Silva or you'd be tossed to the side and someone who was willing to fight for peanuts would take your place. I also don't recall expecting the first fight to do huge numbers.

Chael probably set himself up well for the rematch though.

It happened before and most probably those guys that are shafted are the ones who tried complaining. I'm surprised none of those old dudes tried to kick Dana just to get even.

 

[jeff7b9]

No. He didn't.

You don't get paid a win bonus when you lose.

 

[SalvadorAllende]

Chael is not gonna end up in hall of fame if he talks about fighter pay so openly like this.

Who the fucks cares about UFC Hall of Fame? It is the stupidest thing ever.

 

[Ludwig von Mises]

UFC= U FIGHT CHEAP

 

[Trabaho]

Not a chance that's true.

Maybe up until that point
Use.your 75 iq brain

 

[ferrisjso]

Who the fucks cares about UFC Hall of Fame? It is the stupidest thing ever.

Today yes, in 40 years people are going to act like its sainhood.