Introduction
Rashad Evans is an American former professional MMA fighter with an estimated net worth of $8.5 Million.
The UFC Hall of Famer and former light heavyweight champion, Rashad Evans, retired from the sport in 2026, with a record of 20 wins, eight losses, and one draw. During his UFC tenure, Evans earned several million dollars, knocking out legends of the sport, including Chael Sonnen, Tito Ortiz, and Chuck Liddell. His ventures outside of fighting have also contributed to his overall income, both during and after his professional fighting career. This includes his investment in Naturals2Go and his work as a UFC commentator.
In this profile, we’ll provide an overview of Suga Rashad Evans’ career and net worth, as well as all his known fight purses and ventures relating to his finances.
Quick Facts
- Disclosed career earnings of $4.76 million in the UFC
- This figure excludes potential pay-per-view bonuses
- Highest-recorded purse of $510,000 against Tito Ortiz
Before Wealth & Fame
Growing up in New York with five siblings, Evans was a passionate wrestler. He was a two-time All-State wrestler at Wheatfield High School, but also enjoyed playing football. While earning his psychology degree at Michigan State University, Rashad wrestled in the NCAA Division I.
Before fully transitioning to mixed martial arts, Evans initially wanted to become a firefighter. Like many MMA fighters, he worked as a bouncer to support himself in the early days of his fighting career. This includes his appearance in the Gladiator Challenge, where he won three fights in just two days.
UFC Career
In 2005, Rashad Evans was offered the opportunity to appear in Season 2 of The Ultimate Fighter, one of the primary avenues for fighters to earn UFC contracts. Evans won all his fights on the show, making it to the final against Brad Imes in November 2005. He won the fight by split decision, securing a six-figure UFC contract.
Despite winning The Ultimate Fighter in the heavyweight division, Evans dropped to light heavyweight for his first official fight under a UFC contract. His debut was against Sam Hoger at UFC Fight Night 4, winning by decision. He also won his following fight against Stephan Bonnar by decision. In July 2007, after a four-fight win streak in the UFC, Evans suffered his first professional loss against at UFC 73.
After a win against , Evans knocked out the former light-heavyweight champion, , in September 2008. Rashad fought Forrest Griffin for the title just three months later. He won the fight by TKO due to ground strikes, becoming the UFC light-heavyweight champion.
Although Evans never successfully defended the belt, he continued fighting in the UFC until 2018, competing against legends of the sport, including Jon Jones, Rampage Jackson, Lyoto Machida, Tito Ortiz, Dan Henderson, and . In July 2019, Evans was inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame.
UFC Earnings
Before we discuss Rashad Evans’ fight purses, it’s worth mentioning that the figures above only relate to disclosed earnings from base purses, bonuses, and incentives. They don’t include additional income from PPV percentages, which likely had a significant impact on the totals. According to the information above, Evans earned a total of $4.76 million in the UFC from base purses, bonuses, and other incentives. His PPV earnings remain undisclosed.
Early UFC Earnings
In 2006, Rashad Evans typically earned $24,000 per fight, which included a $12,000 appearance fee and a $12,000 win bonus. This included his victories over Sam Hoger, Stephan Bonnar, and Jason Lambert. His pay remained the same for his 2007 bout with Sean Salmon; however, he also received a $30,000 bonus for Knockout of the Night, bringing his total to $54,000. When Evans fought Tito Ortiz and Michael Bisping in 2007, his base pay increased to $16,000, resulting in a combined $48,000 thanks to the win against Bisping.
In 2008, Evans was given a new contract, earning at least $60,000 per fight, with an additional $60,000 per win. His fight against Chuck Liddell earned him $180,000, comprising $60,000 each for showing up, winning, and Knockout of the Night. His title fight against earned him slightly more, at $190,000, comprising a $65,000 show fee, a $65,000 win bonus, and $60,000 for Fight of the Night.
Peak Career Earnings
By the late 2000s and early 2010s, Evans consistently earned a base purse of at least $200,000 per fight, including his 2009 loss to Lyoto Machida. Following the loss to Machida, Rashad won all four of his next fights, securing $375,000 against Thiago Silva, $410,000 against , $515,000 in his rematch with Tito Ortiz, and $475,000 against Phil Davis.
For his next two fights, both of which resulted in losses to Jon Jones and Rogerio Nogueira, Evans earned $300,000 per bout. His base purse remained at $300,000 for his win over Henderson in 2013, but he also secured a $210,000 win bonus.
Rashad Evans lost his final five fights in the UFC, and his base purse decreased to $150,000. However, he also earned between $15,000 and $20,000 per fight from the Reebok sponsorship deal, which led to him earning between $165,000 and $170,000 for each of these five losses.
Real Estate
In May 2009, Rashad Evans paid $580,000 for a 6,259-square-foot, five-bedroom, five-bathroom home in Frankfort, Illinois. However, public records show that the property was transferred into the name of his ex-wife, LaToya, following the couple’s divorce in 2012. Based on the available information, it appears that she has tried to sell the house several times for roughly the same amount as Rashad initially paid. That said, it was taken off the market in 2018, and she remains the registered owner to this day. This indicates that LaToya likely received the house in the divorce proceedings.
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Dan Western is a British journalist with a decade's worth of experience in researching financial information of the world's most influential people.
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Wanderlei Silva Net Worth
Wanderlei Silva was one of the biggest names in mixed martial arts during his career which included a lengthy and lucrative run as the Pride Middleweight Champion.
Published
2 months ago
on
Mar 3, 2026
By
Introduction
Wanderlei Silva is a Brazilian-American former professional MMA fighter with an estimated net worth of $18 Million.
Quick Facts
- Allegedly earned $9.7 million during his UFC tenure
- Disclosed fight purses typically ranged between $200,000 and $300,000
- Sold his home in Las Vegas for $320,000 (2026)
Fight Earnings
Despite fighting 49 times during his professional career, there’s not a whole lot of information surrounding Wanderlei Silva’s individual fight earnings. Nonetheless, here’s what we know.
For Silva’s fight against at Bellator 206 in 2018, he reportedly earned $200,000, while Rampage earned $300,000. Regarding the UFC, Wanderlei typically earned a base purse of $200,000 per fight. This includes his bouts with Chris Leben at UFC 132, Cung Le at UFC 139, and Rich Franklin at UFC 147. He also secured a $70,000 Fight of the Night bonus against Cung Le, bringing his total to $270,000.
Those three UFC fights alone earned Wanderlei Silva approximately $670,000. While we don’t have specific figures for any of his other individual purses, Dana White has previously claimed that Silva earned $9.7 million during his tenure with the organization. This was in response to Silva’s claim that fighters were underpaid, and in response, Dana stated:
“You know how much money Wanderlei Silva has made since he’s been with the UFC? $9.7 million.”
Legal Issues & Lawsuits
Wanderlei Silva has been involved in several lawsuits during his career. In 2014, ahead of his scheduled fight with Chael Sonnen, Silva was subjected to a random drug test, which he refused. His attorney, Ross Goodman, claimed that the Nevada State Athletic Commission didn’t have jurisdiction to punish Silva for this incident. However, the claim was denied, and Wanderlei was banned from fighting in Nevada for life. He was also issued a $70,000 fine. In response, “The Axe Murderer” filed a lawsuit against the NSAC, though the outcome is unknown.
In 2015, Wanderlei landed himself in some legal trouble with the UFC over comments he made about the company. He published the following statement on his social media account (translated from Portuguese):
“I’ve made it very clear to you all that I will never again fight for this promotion, the U.F. Circus. Fixed fights – and I can prove it! I haven’t dropped the bomb yet. I haven’t said everything I know!”
In response, Zuffa LLC, the UFC’s parent company, filed a defamation lawsuit against the fighter. They sought initial damages in excess of $10,000 and varying amounts to be determined at trial. Silva ultimately retracted his remarks, and the dispute was settled.
Real Estate
In March 2009, Wanderlei Silva paid $180,000 for a 1,893-square-foot, three-bedroom, three-bathroom home in Las Vegas, Nevada. He sold this home for $320,000 in 2026, likely profiting just over $100,000. He also owns a home in his Brazilian hometown, splitting his time between the two houses while operating a training facility in Nevada.
Summary
Making it as a professional mixed martial artist for 2 years is hard enough, but Wanderlei Silva stayed at the top of the MMA world for 22 years. Though the back end of his career included a lot of losses, it also brought a lot of big paydays for the former Pride Middleweight Champion. Now a member of the Hall of Fame, the MMA fighter can enjoy retirement in Las Vegas and Brazil, knowing that his career was among the best.
Leon Edwards Net Worth
Leon Edwards went from being one of the best amateur mixed martial artists in England to a global sensation and champion in the UFC.
Published
3 months ago
on
Feb 9, 2026
By
Introduction
Leon Edwards is a Jamaican-English professional MMA fighter with an estimated net worth of $1.2 Million.
Quick Facts
- Earned just under $1 million from the Kamaru Usman trilogy
UFC Fight Purses
If you’ve read any of our other profiles on MMA fighters in the past, you’ll know that it’s not always easy to track a fighter’s earnings. In the UFC, fight purses are disclosed for one of two reasons. The first of which is when the fight takes place in a state that requires fight pay to be disclosed. The second is from lawsuits, since the UFC has been involved in several lawsuits with fighters over the years, in which numerous fight purses have been revealed.
Now, if a fighter’s pay is disclosed under state law, PPV shares don’t need to be listed. This leads many outlets to list different figures as they’re guessing a fighter’s PPV revenues.
With all that out of the way, how much has Leon Edwards earned during his UFC tenure?
Early Career Purses
When Edwards joined the UFC in 2014, his first fight was against Claudio Silva at UFC Fight Night 56. At the time, he was reportedly under an entry-level contract paying $8,000 to show and $8,000 to win. He lost the fight by split decision, taking home $8,000. The following year, in April, Edwards knocked out Seth Baczynski with the first punch he threw, and the fight lasted just 8 seconds. Again, he received $8,000 to show up, plus an additional $8,000 for winning the fight. However, Leon also received a $50,000 Performance of the Night bonus, which brought his total purse to $66,000. This worked out to $8,250 for each second the fight lasted.
Three months later, Edwards fought Pawel Pawlak at another UFC Fight Night and won the fight by decision. Again, he received $16,000 in total, including his win bonus.
Kamaru Usman Trilogy Earnings
Leon Edwards fought the former Welterweight champion, , three times, though there was a significant gap between their first and second matchups. Edwards lost the first fight in December 2015, earning just $17,500. However, for their rematch at UFC 278 in 2026, Leon secured a last-minute knockout from a headkick after struggling for the entire fight. He won the belt and reportedly earned $432,000, comprising:
- Base purse: $350,000
- Sponsorships: $32,000
- Fight bonus: $50,000
Finally, reports suggested that Edwards earned in the region of $542,000 from his third and final fight with Usman.
Summary
Leon Edwards is one of the best rags-to-riches stories in the Ultimate Fighting Championship after tragedy struck his family at a young age. Edwards found his calling as an MMA fighter, cutting his teeth in England before becoming a global icon who earned a title fight.
Frank Mir Net Worth
Frank Mir is one of the most decorated fighters in the history of the UFC heavyweight division, and has earned millions from fighting the biggest names in the sport.
Published
4 months ago
on
Jan 29, 2026
By
Introduction
Frank Mir is an American former professional MMA fighter with an estimated net worth of $11 Million.
During his MMA career, Frank Mir fought 32 times, predominantly in Bellator and the UFC, and often earned multiple six-figures per fight. The former UFC Heavyweight Champion retired with a record of 19 wins and 13 losses.
Fight Earnings
The last time Frank Mir fought was a boxing match against Steve Cunningham on the undercard of the vs. Ben Askren pay-per-view in 2026, which earned Mir $350,000. Before that, Mir only had one payday since 2018, and that came from his match at Bellator MMA 231 against Roy Nelson, with Mir getting the win to bring his record to 19-13.
Looking at his career earnings, Mir has had notable paydays, including $300,000 for his fight against and $395,000 for his fight against Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, which are his biggest checks.
Surprisingly, Mir earned only $185,000 for his two matches against , yet he has accumulated more than $4 million in career earnings across mixed martial arts and boxing. The Las Vegas native and former UFC Heavyweight Champion is estimated to have a net worth of $9 million when endorsements and salary are taken into consideration.
Endorsement Deals
In addition to his fight purses, Frank Mir also earned a substantial income from his sponsors. At the time, UFC fighters earned significantly more from brand endorsements. They were allowed to wear their own fight gear, displaying logos on their shorts and training shirts. They were also allowed to hold banners over the edge of the octagon displaying all their sponsors’ logos. However, this was eventually phased out by the promotion as it secured contracts with Reebok and, later, Crypto.com.
Regardless, here’s a list of all the known brands that Frank Mir partnered with:
- Affliction Clothing
- Bodybuilding.com
- Envirotek
- Harley Davidson
- Hayabusa
- MMAWarehouse.com
- Nutrabolics
Summary
While the heavyweight division in the UFC may not receive the same level of attention as some lower weight classes, Frank Mir helped make it must-watch television. Mir became a star in the ring and was the longest-tenured fighter in UFC history, earning massive six-figure paychecks along the way. Now in his 40s, the former UFC Heavyweight Champion is able to ride off into the sunset after taking part in his last fight.
