UFC on Versus fighter salaries and paydays for 'Vera vs Jones'

The official fighter purses for those who competed at the UFC on Versus event this past Sunday night (March 21) from the 1STBANK Center in Broomfield, Colorado, were released earlier today and passed along by the folks at MMA Fighting.

Hot-and-cold heavyweight striker Cheick Kongo took home top dollar for the event. The Parisian banked a cool $110,000 for his submission win over fading veteran Paul Buentello ($40,000). Kongo was the only competitor to break six figures.

Junior dos Santos came in second place with $70,000 after airmailing Gabriel Gonzaga ($67,000) back to Brazil in the first round.

Light heavyweight sensation Jon Jones was rewarded $40,000 for his bone-crunching performance over veteran Brandon Vera ($60,000). Not a bad haul, but still not enough to squeak past Vladimir Matyushenko ($56,000), Clay Guida ($50,000) or Alessio Sakara ($42,000).

Expect that to change in the very near future.

Here is the complete list of UFC on Versus payouts:

Jon Jones: $40,000 ($20,000 to show, $20,000 to win)
Brandon Vera: $60,000
Jones defeated Vera via technical knockout

Junior dos Santos: $70,000 ($35,000 to show, $35,000 to win)
Gabriel Gonzaga: $67,000
Dos Santos defeated Gonzaga via technical knockout

Cheick Kongo: $110,000 ($55,000 to show, $55,000 to win)
Paul Buentello: $40,000
Kongo defeated Buentello via submission (strikes)

Alessio Sakara: $42,000 ($21,000 to show, $21,000 to win)
James Irvin: $20,000
Sakara defeated Irvin via technical knockout

Clay Guida: $50,000 ($25,000 to show, $25,000 to win)
Shanon Gugerty: $9,000
Guida defeated Gugerty via submission (arm-triangle choke)

Vladimir Matyushenko: $56,000 ($28,000 to show, $28,000 to win)
Eliott Marshall: $10,000
Matyushenko defeated Marshall via split decision

Darren Elkins: $12,000 ($6,000 to show, $6,000 to win)
Duane Ludwig: $12,000
Elkins defeated Ludwig via technical knockout (injury)

John Howard: $26,000 ($13,000 to show, $13,000 to win)
Daniel Roberts: $6,000
Howard defeated Roberts via knockout

Brendan Schaub: $20,000 ($10,000 to show, $10,000 to win)
Chase Gormley: $10,000
Schaub defeated Gormley via technical knockout

Mike Pierce: $16,000 ($8,000 to show, $8,000 to win)
John Paulino: $8000
Pierce defeated Paulino via unanimous decision

Jason Brilz: $18,000 ($9,000 to show, $9,000 to win)
Eric Schafer: $13,000
Brilz defeated Schafer via unanimous decision

Keep in mind the salaries listed above do not include fight bonuses, sponsorships, percentages and other unofficial payments. It also does not include deductions for expenses such as insurance, taxes, etc.

For example, the UFC often hands out extra cash for "Fight of the Night," "Knockout of the Night" and "Submission of the Night." To check out these figures for UFC on Versus go here.

The total base fighter payroll for the network television event, which reportedly attracted a crowd of 6,443 attendees and a live gate of approximately $568,125 million, was $713,000.

For complete results and coverage of "Vera vs. Jones" click here and here.