UFC's highest-earning athlete in 2023 is John Jones.

Unlocking UFC's Cash Kingdom: Top Earners of 2023 Unveiled

Welcome to the high-stakes world of UFC, where the combatants aren't just battling for supremacy in the octagon, but also for hefty paychecks. Here are the big earners in UFC's cash kingdom who ruled the MMA landscape in 2023:

Jon "Bones" Jones (USA, 27-1) - $6.4 million The American powerhouse returned from a 3-year hiatus at UFC 285 with a bang, finishing Cyril Gane in the first round to capture the heavyweight title. His contract guarantees him a lucrative $3 million, with additional bonuses for a record-breaking year that was unfortunately cut short due to injury.
Israel "Stylebender" Adesanya (New Zealand/Nigeria, 24-3) - $5.68 million The dynamic middleweight reignited his title reign in a rematch against Alex Pereira at UFC 287, pocketing $3 million. However, he lost the title to Sean Strickland at UFC 293, earning an extra $2 million.
Alex "The Great" Volkanovski (Australia, 26-3) - $5.384 million The featherweight kingpin made two attempts to dethrone Islam Makhachev in the lightweight division, only to come up short on both occasions. His first fight earned him $1.492 million, while the second brought in $2.392 million. In October, Volkanovski successfully defended his featherweight title against Yair Rodriguez, adding another $1.5 million to his earnings.
Islam "The Eagle" Makhachev (Russia, 25-1) - $4.034 million The Dagestani lightweight champ defended his title in epic fashion, besting Alex Volkanovski twice. His first defense earned him approximately $1.5 million, while the second yielded a staggering $2.5 million.
Alex Pereira (Brazil, 9-2) - $3.522 million The style-switching Brazilian fought three times in 2023, losing a rematch to Adesanya ($1.49 million), defeating Jiri Prochazka ($1.132 million) for the light heavyweight title, and beating Glover Teixeira ($900,000).

While we don't have specific 2023 earnings data for some notable fighters, such as Conor McGregor, Israel Adesanya, and Jon Jones, recent payouts and career earnings can provide insight into their earning potential:

Ilia Topuria raked in $2.4 million for his 2025 fight against Max Holloway.
Josh Emmett netted $864,000 throughout his UFC career, with a notable $150,000 guaranteed purse for his 2024 UFC 308 fight.
Alexander Volkanovski reportedly earned $32,000 for challenging the featherweight champion and $21,000 as compliance pay after 21 UFC fights.
Jim Miller earned $21,000 as compliance pay after 46 UFC fights.

It's essential to note that UFC's Promotional Guidelines Compliance Pay offers diverse payouts, such as $4,000 for 1-3 fights, $32,000 for title challengers, and $21,000 as compliance pay for fighters who reach 21 or more UFC fights. Win bonuses, sponsorship deals, and PPV revenue are typically not disclosed, making it challenging to determine precise 2023 earnings for UFC fighters.

In the world of UFC, where mixed-martial-arts athletes fight for more than just supremacy, stars like Jon "Bones" Jones and Israel "Stylebender" Adesanya consistently dominate the cash kingdom. Jones, a US native with a record of 27-1, earned $6.4 million in 2023, while Adesanya, representing New Zealand and Nigeria, pocketed $5.68 million.

UFC's estimates suggest that even fighters without 2023 earnings data, such as Conor McGregor, Israel Adesanya, and Jon Jones, have impressive earning potential, as highlighted by the recent payouts of Ilia Topuria ($2.4 million) and Josh Emmett ($864,000). These figures illustrate the substantial earnings UFC fighters can accumulate over their careers, with Alexander Volkanovski and Jim Miller earning $32,000 and $21,000, respectively, as compliance pay after 21 or more UFC fights.