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Another day, another story about how UFC’s pay scale doesn’t compare to other fight promotions.
Over the weekend, we saw Ben Askren pocket $500,000 in disclosed purse (and $1 mil overall by his account) for his two minutes of boxing time against YouTuber Jake Paul (watch highlights). That’s more than the former Bellator and ONE champion has ever made off a single fight. In fact, Askren says it’s more than he made off his entire Bellator run of nine fights.
That may put Bellator into a bit of a bad light, but things seem to have changed since the Bellator tournament era (circa 2010) “Funky” participated in back in the day. Because now we have former UFC fighter, Corey Anderson, claiming he’s made more with Bellator in two fights than he did in seven years with the world’s most prominent mixed martial arts (MMA) league.
“UFC gave me the career ... Bellator gave me the life!” Anderson wrote on Twitter. “In two fights / six months with Bellator, I’ve made double of what I did in 15 fights (11 wins 2 bonuses) seven years with UFC. Now I live and enjoy life to the fullest with my family everyday! Let that marinate ....”
UFC gave me the career...Bellator gave me the life!!
— Corey 'Overtime' Anderson (@CoreyA_MMA) April 20, 2021
In 2 fights 6 months with Bellator, I've made double of what I did in 15 fights (11 wins 2 bonuses) 7 years with UFC. Now I live and enjoy life to the fullest with my family everyday!
Let that marinate....#blessed #worth
Unfortunately, it’s a bit tricky figuring out exactly how much Anderson is making to make an apples to apples comparison. Some numbers we do know: Anderson’s disclosed purse for his sixth fight at UFC 196 in 2016 was $20,000 to show and $20,000 to win. Seven fights later at UFC 232 in 2018, he was up to $65,000 to show, $65,000 to win. That was his last disclosed purse with UFC.
There’s a good chance “Overtime” is including sponsorship money that he’s free to make in Bellator selling space on his fight shorts. And hey, why not? A buck is a buck however you make it, and we’re happy to hear Anderson is thriving in Bellator (where he just advanced to the semifinals of the Bellator 205-pound tournament).
Anderson used to be known as “Beastin’ 25/8” and is now “Overtime,” but who needs to work overtime when you’re cashing these kinds of checks?
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