THEY are some of the toughest people competing in one of the world’s fastest-growing sports.
The stars of Mixed Martial Arts put their bodies on the line on a regular basis for our entertainment.
GettyMMA is one of the most physically challenging sports in the world[/caption]
It comes as no surprise then that they are heavily rewarded for their hard work in the ring.
Several fighters in the sports are now super rich with millions in their bank accounts.
And many who have walked away from the sport have been able to carve out successful careers in other fields – including the film industry.
Here we take a look at 10 MMA stars who have made a fortune from the brutal sport.
Connor McGregor – £88.5m
PA:Press AssociationIrish man Connor McGregor is currently the richest fighter in MMA[/caption]
GettyA large part of his fortune came from his feud with Floyd Mayweather[/caption]
Not only is Connor arguably the most famous MMA fighter today, he is also one of its most controversial thanks to his antics in and out of the ring.
The Irishman is by far the richest among his peers with a staggering £88.5million, it’s believed.
The majority of his fortunes come from his epic feud with boxing legend Floyd Mayweather – after their match in 2017, Connor claimed he earned over £80million.
He has also acrued big money from his association with big brands including Beats by Dre, Monster Energy, Reebok, and Bud Light.
Rorian Gracie – 40.2million
GettyRorian Gracie, who co-founded UFC, is the second richest fighter[/caption]
As one of the founders of UFC, Rorian has often been credited as being one of the pioneers of the sport.
The Brazilian-American is also a Jiu-Jitsu Grand Master and is one of few people in the world to hold a 9th-degree red belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
Not content with that, the 71-year-old is also a producer, lecturer and lawyer.
With all his accolades and achievements, it’s no surprise he sits at number two on the list with an estimated £40.2million fortune.
Khabib Nurmagomedov – £30.2million
Khabib is one of the toughest fighters in MMA and has a £30.2m fortuneGetty
Khabib has been a dominant force throughout his career in MMA.
The Russian is the longest-reigning UFC Lightweight Champion in history – and his legions of fans will tell you he’s the greatest fighter in its history.
He has a professional record of 29-0 and has had some memorable bouts with Connor McGregor, beating the Irish star.
As it stands he is the third richest MMA star with a reported £30.2million, and was the highest-paid UFC fighter with a £5.5million salary in 2020 – the year he retired.
Speaking about his success, he once said: “I came to the UFC to fight with top-level fighters and become the undisputed, undefeated champion. This is my goal.”
Georges St Pierre – £24.1million
GettyGeorges has branched out of MMA and is now a bonafide movie star[/caption]
Although he has now retired, Georges St Pierre, 41, has been called the greatest welterweight in UFC history by many critics.
The Canadian is a three-time former Welterweight Campion and has been inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame.
As one of the promotion’s top stars, he had nine consecutive title wins between 2008 and 2013.
His fortune has been the result of the work he put into his MMA career along with brand deals and endorsements – before his retirement, he earned over £4.8million per match.
He has also been able to successfully launch an acting career, appearing in films like Captain America: The Winter Soldier and 2017’s Cartels.
It’s believed he’s worth around £24.1m.
Brock Lesnar – £20.1million
Getty Images – GettyBrock Lesnar is one of the most prolific combat sports stars in the world[/caption]
When it comes to some of the toughest people in combat sports, very few boast the dominance of Brock Lesnar.
He started out as a wrestler and beat The Rock to win his first WWE Championship in 2002.
Brock made the switch to MMA, signed with UFC, and quickly became the promotion’s Heavyweight Champion.
Since making his return to WWE, Brock, 45, has become the highest-paid wrestler in the company and takes home a salary of £4.03million while working a relatively light schedule.
He’s estimated to be worth around £20.1m.
BJ Penn – £20.1million
Getty Images – GettyBJ Penn is only one of three fighters to win both the UFC Lightweight and Welterweight championships[/caption]
He may have 14 losses to his name, but BJ Penn is still considered one of the greatest fighters the UFC has ever seen.
The 44-year-old American is also a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioner and has won both the company’s Lightweight and Welterweight championships.
He remains one of three fighters to have achieved the feat and broke several Lightweight division records during his run with the belt.
His business ventures and many endorsement deals put him on par with Brock Lesnar on the list of the wealthiest MMA fighters.
Anderson Silva – £16million
GettyUFC owner Dana White has described Anderson Silva as the greatest MMA fighter of all time[/caption]
Nicknamed The Spider, Anderson Silva has certainly proved himself as one of the top middleweights in UFC.
The American Brazilian, 48, still holds the record for the longest title reign in UFC history, clocking in a staggering 2,457 days.
His streak started in 2006 and ended in 2013 with a record 16 consecutive victories in that time frame.
His record is so impressive that UFC president Dana White, commentator Joe Rogan, and several industry insiders have called him the greatest MMA fighter of all time.
His success in the Octagon, endorsements, and business dealings have netted him a mind-blowing £16million, it’s been reported.
Fedor Emelianeko – £14.4million
Getty – ContributorThe Russian never signed with UFC but is considered one of the greatest MMA fighters[/caption]
For many MMA fighters competing in UFC, bagging the biggest promotion is the ultimate goal – but Fedor Emelianeko is certainly not like most.
He has made a huge name for himself away from the UFC umbrella and has been called one of the greatest MMA fighters of all time.
The 46-year-old Russian has won many championships in several sports since debuting in 2000 – he went 10 years without being defeated after suffering a controversial defeat in December 2000.
He only just retired in February after a loss to Ryan Bader for the Bellator Heavyweight World Championship. He’s estimated to be worth £14.4m.
Wanderlei Silva – £14.4million
GettyWanderlei is known for his aggressive style of combat[/caption]
The greatness of Wanderlei goes beyond UFC.
He was an absolute beast at Japan’s Pride Fighting Championships and holds records for the most knockouts, wins and title defences.
The 6ft Brazilian-American star is known for his aggressive style of brawling that has been compared to street fighting.
His impressive skills have endeared him to millions of MMA fighters and has landed him an incredible £14.4million, it’s estimated.
Randy Couture – £13.6million
GettyRandy has competed in a record 16 title bouts[/caption]
One of the legends of UFC, he’s also one of seven fighters to win a championship in more than one weight class.
Randy has competed in a record 16 title bouts and is one of only two people to win the UFC championship past the age of 40.
He retired in 2011 but he’s found mainstream success and has made several appearances in movies and TV shows including The Expendables, Setup – alongside Bruce Willis and 50 Cent – and The Scorpion King 2: Rise of a Warrior.
All this has netted the 59-year-old American an eye-popping £13.6million, it’s been reported.