Heavyweight fighters salaries showcase the biggest paydays in combat sports. Francis Ngannou made $30 million from just two boxing matches. Brock Lesnar earned $24 million across eight UFC fights. Jon Jones turned down $30 million recently.
The division’s top earners have cracked the multi-million dollar barrier. Some built fortunes inside the octagon. Others found gold in boxing rings and WWE contracts. The money gaps between champions and contenders are massive.
| Name | Nationality | MMA Record |
| Derrick Lewis | United States | 27–12 (1 NC) |
| Curtis Blaydes | United States | 19–5 (1 NC) |
| Marcin Tybura | Poland | 27–9 |
| Alexander Volkov | Russia | 38–11 |
| Tai Tuivasa | Australia | 15–8 |
| Ryan Spann | United States | 22–11 |
| Sergei Pavlovich | Russia | 19–3 |
| Kennedy Nzechukwu | United States | 14–5 |
| Serghei Spivac | Moldova | 17–6 |
| Ciryl Gane | France | 12–2 |
| Justin Tafa | New Zealand | 7–5 (1 NC) |
| Tom Aspinall | England | 15–3 |
| Chris Barnett | United States | 23–9 |
| Jailton Almeida | Brazil | 22–3 |
| Martin Buday | Slovakia | 15–2 |
| Hamdy Abdelwahab | Egypt | 6–1 (1 NC) |
| Mohammed Usman | United States | 11–4 |
| Łukasz Brzeski | Poland | 9–6–1 (1 NC) |
| Waldo Cortes-Acosta | Cuba | 14–1 |
| Junior Tafa | New Zealand | 6–3 |
| Austen Lane | United States | 13–6 (1 NC) |
| Mick Parkin | England | 10–1 |
| Shamil Gaziev | Russia | 14–1 |
| Thomas Petersen | Denmark | 10–3 |
| Valter Walker | Brazil | 13–1 |
| Jhonata Diniz | Brazil | 8–1 |
| Sean Sharaf | Lebanon | 4–1 |
| Tallison Teixeira | Brazil | 8–0 |
| Mário Pinto | Brazil | 10–0 |
| Uran Satybaldiev | Kyrgyzstan | 9–1 |
| Rizvan Kuniev | Russia | 12–3–1 (1 NC) |
| Bruno Cappelozza | Brazilian | 15-6-0 |
| Brendan Schaub | American | 10-5-2000 |
| Darko Stošić | Serbian | 21-7-0 |
| Aleksei Oleinik | Ukrainian-born Russian | 61-18-1 |
| Chris De La Rocha | American | 5-3-2000 |
10 Highest Paid UFC Fighters in Heavyweight Division Ranked
The top heavyweight earners have built wealth through UFC purses, championship bonuses, and lucrative ventures outside the octagon. Francis Ngannou leads the division after his boxing crossovers earned him more than his entire UFC career combined.
| Rank | Fighter | Net Worth | Career Earnings | Active/Retired | Championships |
| 1 | Francis Ngannou | $35M | $43M | Retired from UFC | 1 UFC Title |
| 2 | Brock Lesnar | $30M | $24.25M | Retired | 1 UFC Title |
| 3 | Jon Jones | $12.5M | $7.3M | Active | 1 Heavyweight Title |
| 4 | Alistair Overeem | $10M | $14.4M | Retired | 0 UFC Titles |
| 5 | Junior dos Santos | $10M | $7.11M | Retired | 1 UFC Title |
| 6 | Stipe Miocic | $6.6M | $6.6M | Retired | 2 UFC Titles |
| 7 | Andrei Arlovski | $5.6M | $5.6M | Active | 1 UFC Title |
| 8 | Cain Velasquez | $4M | $5M | Retired | 2 UFC Titles |
| 9 | Derrick Lewis | $4M | $1.1M | Active | 0 UFC Titles |
| 10 | Ciryl Gane | $2.5M | $2.5M | Active | 0 UFC Titles |
Francis Ngannou dominates as the richest heavyweight with a stunning $35 million net worth. His boxing crossover deals with Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua earned him $30 million combined, more than his entire UFC career.
Brock Lesnar’s crossover success between WWE and UFC created a unique earning model. Despite earning $24 million in UFC, his WWE contracts worth $12-16 million annually surpassed his fighting income.
The active versus retired divide shows interesting patterns. Jon Jones leads active heavyweights at $12.5 million but recently turned down a $30 million offer to fight Tom Aspinall.
Who Is the Highest Paid Heavyweight Fighter?
Francis Ngannou holds the title as the highest-earning heavyweight fighter with $43 million in total career earnings. His net worth reached $35 million after his boxing crossover matches in 2023-2024.
Ngannou’s UFC heavyweight championship reign saw his biggest octagon payday of $1.042 million against Ciryl Gane at UFC 270. However, his real wealth explosion came from boxing.
His October 2023 bout with Tyson Fury earned him $10 million, followed by $20 million for fighting Anthony Joshua in March 2024. These two boxing matches paid more than his entire 14-fight UFC career combined.
The Cameroonian-French fighter left UFC in 2023 after contract disputes. His boxing deals proved his value, as he earned astronomical sums that UFC never matched during his championship reign.
Heavyweight Fighter Earnings Growth Analysis
| Fighter | 2020 Net Worth | 2023 Net Worth | 2025 Net Worth | Growth % | Key Income Sources |
| Francis Ngannou | $5M | $7M | $35M | 600% | Boxing ($30M), UFC purses, PFL deal |
| Brock Lesnar | $28M | $30M | $30M | 7% | UFC purses ($24M), WWE salary ($12-16M/year) |
| Jon Jones | $10M | $12M | $12.5M | 25% | UFC purses ($7.3M), Nike sponsorship, Gatorade |
| Junior dos Santos | $10M | $10M | $10M | 0% | UFC earnings ($7.1M), endorsements |
| Stipe Miocic | $4M | $6M | $6.6M | 65% | UFC purses, firefighter salary |
| Ciryl Gane | $500K | $2M | $2.5M | 400% | UFC purses, rapid rise to title contention |
Ngannou’s 600% wealth explosion from 2020 to 2025 demonstrates boxing’s superior pay structure. His $5 million UFC net worth skyrocketed to $35 million through just two boxing matches.
Brock Lesnar’s stable wealth reflects his WWE safety net. His UFC earnings peaked at $10.25 million for UFC 200 against Mark Hunt, including $8 million in PPV revenue.
Jon Jones growth remains modest despite his heavyweight championship. His recent rejection of a $30 million Tom Aspinall fight offer suggests he’s seeking bigger paydays for high-profile matchups.
How Much Do Heavyweight Champions Make Per Fight?
Current heavyweight champion Jon Jones earned $7.3 million across his entire UFC career as the highest-earning heavyweight in disclosed purses. His UFC 200 appearance reportedly netted substantial PPV points beyond base salary.
Championship fight purses vary dramatically by star power. Stipe Miocic earned $6.6 million across his record-setting title reign with three consecutive defenses.
Francis Ngannou’s championship defense against Ciryl Gane paid $1.042 million, his career-high UFC purse. Previous champion Brock Lesnar earned $2.5 million base pay plus estimated $8 million PPV share at UFC 200.
Title challengers earn significantly less. Ciryl Gane has accumulated $2.5 million in career earnings despite fighting for the title and earning performance bonuses.
Biggest Heavyweight Crossover Earnings
Brock Lesnar pioneered the crossover heavyweight model earning $24.25 million from eight UFC fights. His $10.25 million UFC 200 payday included $2.5 million base and estimated $8 million PPV cut.
Francis Ngannou shattered crossover records with his boxing ventures. His $10 million Tyson Fury fight and $20 million Anthony Joshua bout totaled $30 million from two fights.
Lesnar’s WWE contracts proved even more lucrative than fighting. His annual WWE salary of $12-16 million exceeded his entire UFC earnings spread over years.
Alistair Overeem earned $14.4 million across 21 UFC fights, benefiting from his Strikeforce contract terms when UFC acquired the promotion. He never won UFC gold but defeated former champion Brock Lesnar in 2011.
What Endorsements Pay Heavyweight Fighters?
Jon Jones became the first MMA fighter with international Nike sponsorship and launched his own shoe line. He also secured a Gatorade endorsement deal, rare for UFC fighters.
Brock Lesnar leveraged WWE fame for premium UFC paydays. His crossover appeal commanded the highest base salaries in heavyweight history and drew massive PPV buys.
Francis Ngannou’s boxing deals included massive sponsorship opportunities beyond fight purses. His Anthony Joshua bout sponsorships significantly boosted his $20 million base purse.
The Reebok era limited individual sponsorships, but top heavyweights still commanded appearance fees. Junior dos Santos earned $30,000 in Reebok money for his UFC 211 bout against Stipe Miocic.
FAQs
Who is the highest paid heavyweight fighter?
Francis Ngannou is the highest-earning heavyweight with $43 million in total career earnings. His boxing crossovers with Tyson Fury ($10M) and Anthony Joshua ($20M) made him the wealthiest heavyweight fighter.
How much do heavyweight fighters make per fight?
Top heavyweights earn $500,000 to $2.5 million per fight as base pay. Jon Jones has earned $7.3 million total, while champions like Ngannou earned $1.042 million for title defenses. Lower-ranked fighters earn $60,000-$300,000 per bout.
What is Jon Jones’ net worth?
Jon Jones has a net worth of $12.5 million with $7.3 million in UFC career earnings. He recently turned down a $30 million offer to fight Tom Aspinall for the heavyweight title.
How much has Brock Lesnar earned in UFC?
Brock Lesnar earned approximately $24.25 million from eight UFC fights, including $5.25 million in base pay and estimated $19 million in PPV revenue. His biggest payday was $10.25 million at UFC 200.
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