Which fighters knew how to make a living after retirement?

[barillas]

I'm seeing this Kevin Randleman situation, it's just sad that those guys end up in difficult times, and also have seen many other retired fighters who are struggling with money issues, seems like fighting is not a good business on the long run.
Are there any guys who knew how to invest their fighting money into other ventures after retirement?

 

[Mochan]

Truth is MMA pays like crap unless you are at the very top.

Mirko Crocop did a good job for himself after retirement by dabbling into politics. I don't know if he invested anywhere but at least he became a politician afterwards.

 

[JohnWick]

I'm seeing this Kevin Randleman situation, it's just sad that those guys end up in difficult times, and also have seen many other retired fighters who are struggling with money issues, seems like fighting is not a good business on the long run.
Are there any guys who knew how to invest their fighting money into other ventures after retirement?

Combat sports is not for you if your first priority is to be rich. Trust me. If someone doesn't fuck you over along the way... the UFC will be there to do it at the end.

 

[skombolis]

Sometimes investments work and other times they don't. It isn't always a matter of not investing intelligently.

And it would take a combination of good investing, good luck, and probably good networking for any of the old fighters to be able to survive off of the monet they made. It simply was not enough to retire on or finance life after fighting.

 

[Psychedelic]

Chael Patrick Sonnen.

 

[IVnugzftwXX]

The ones that now work for the UFC.

 

[barillas]

I think the Nogs were guys that knew how to make money out of the cage, maybe that's a reason why they declined as fighters, maybe they spent too much time learning how to make money, good for them.

 

[Gabe]

Liddell won a bunch of money in a lawsuit. Tim Sylvia got in the local paper for his roofing job.

 

[cade187]

Truth is MMA pays like crap unless you are at the very top.

Mirko Crocop did a good job for himself after retirement by dabbling into politics. I don't know if he invested anywhere but at least he became a politician afterwards.

Cro Cop was also special forces before/during his MMA career.

For the most part, the guys who seem to struggle are the guys that probably wouldn't have done much without MMA anyway. I see a guy like Leben, and I don't picture him being a big earner in the real world. Best case scenario for a guy like that is trade work. It's not a knock against the guy, because he gave a lot to MMA, and I'm appreciative of that, but not everyone is born business savey.

 

[ShootOwl]

As far as I know, only the very top fighters make anything significant.

 

[Toothlessjoe]

The Nogs have multiple Ju Jitsu schools.
Sonnen, Faber, Koscheck and a number of others rent out real estate.

 

[deweydeucalion]

Travis Lutter. He makes more from his BJJ schools in Texas than he did fighting. If you win a major in BJJ or Judo you make way more money teaching civilians and giving lessons to fighters. Babalu teaches BJJ at Kings plus he teaches civilians at his own school. That is a nice living.

 

[RoryFan]

Bas seems to have done ok for himself. Retired with all his faculties in tact, is well liked and respected universally and seems to be doing ok financially.

Kudos el guapo.

 

[TIMELESS TRUTH]

Rickson Gracie supposedly did very well for himself, and he never even fought in the UFC!

 

[BVG]

Gsp...

 

[GilErick]

I think rocky marciano opened a restaurant

 

[screaminleeman]

I would say, if Royce owes over $1 million in back taxes that he had to have made some serious $$$ after MMA.

Tim Kennedy getting a TV series that files him all over the globe obviously is doing well outside of MMA.

It seems like Brock and GSP have not gone into "fund me" mode at this point, so they might have stashed a peso or two in their MMA careers.

 

[tasticles]

I think the Nogs were guys that knew how to make money out of the cage, maybe that's a reason why they declined as fighters, maybe they spent too much time learning how to make money, good for them.

brain damage and blown knees more like it, but from my understanding they are excellent bjj teachers, so I can imagine many people with money to burn would come to them.

 

[Team Sleep]

James Krause is doing just fine apart from fighting. I think at this point he just fights because he loves the sport. Owns his gym now, owns a couple of franchises... Pretty sure he has other shit going on the side as well. Wife is a nurse. Tbh feel selfish watching him fight at this point, just knowing he can make more money by not getting hit for a living.

 

[Which Doctor]

Helio Gracie

JCVD

Sensei Steve

Chris Lytle

Dana White

Randy Couture

Bob Sapp