Maybe he really is a 'Phenom' after all.  Last night marked another knockout victory for the 36-year-old Vitor Belfort, and with it another top payday.  

Before we go any further, we should note that most international UFC events don't have their fighter pay info released, so none of the following salary data for the event is official.  However, you can get a fairly accurate picture of a fighter's pay based on official purse info released from past fights.  So, based on that info, here is the estimated pay breakdown for the 26 fighters that traded blows at the event (but please remember - this is only an estimate, not official info, especially for any fighters that made their UFC debuts at the event - for Strikeforce fighters that made their debut, we used their most recent Strikeforce pay level as their estimate).  These numbers obviously also don't include any PPV revenue, undisclosed bonuses and/or sponsorship money any of these fighters may have made. 

(Eric Bolte-USA TODAY Sports)

2013 is still young, but a number of MMA fighters have earned more than most of us could ever dream of.

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The top MMA fighters in the UFC don't make the bulk of their money from the reported purses for their fights. The big bucks come from their pay-per-view bonuses, where they are rewarded for stuffing the UFC's coffers.  However, how much a fighter makes off a PPV, and which fighters get these bonuses, remain private so we have no definitive data to work with.  But there have been a few breaches in the dam - in 2007 Randy Couture's contract with the UFC was released publicly, and his PPV bonus structure was revealed. Also recently the same was done with Alistair Overeem's contract (and his payouts were in the same general range as the Couture contract from 2007).

(Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports)

Once again - it was good to be Michael Bisping on Saturday night.  The Count earned the highest payday (not including PPV revenues or other bonuses) at last night's UFC 159 pay-per-view.

Before we go any further, we should note that the New Jersey Athletic Commission doesn't release fighter purse info, so none of the following salary data for the event is official.  However, you can get a fairly accurate picture of a fighter's pay based on official purse info released from past fights.  So, based on that info, here is the estimated pay breakdown for the 22 fighters that traded blows at the event (but please remember - this is only an estimate, not official info, especially for any fighters that made their UFC debuts at the event - for Strikeforce fighters that made their debut, we used their most recent Strikeforce pay level as their estimate).  These numbers obviously also don't include any PPV revenue, undisclosed bonuses and/or sponsorship money any of these fighters may have made. 

UPDATE: Pat Healy failed a drug test, forfeiting his win bonus and end of night bonuses.  Submission of the Night bonus has now been awarded to Bryan Caraway.

(Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports)


Benson Henderson's fiancée might be asking for a engagement ring upgrade soon.  After all, her future husband, after popping the question after his big win over Gilbert Melendez, was the top earner at Saturday's UFC on Fox: Henderson vs Melendez.

Here is the reported purse info for the event, released by the California Athletic Commission (and first reported by MMA Junkie)

(Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports)

Not only did Urijah Faber show that he is still one of the elite fighters in the world on Saturday night, he also walked away with an elite paycheck.  The California Kid was the top earner of The Ultimate Fighter: Team Jones vs Team Sonnen Finale, according to the Nevada State Athletic Commission.

The UFC's latest forray in to Sweden could have been an absolute disaster if main eventer Gegard Mousasi (who injured his knee in the lead up to the fight) pulled himself from the card in addition to Alexander Gustafsson absence.  But The Dreamcatcher gutted out a victory over Ilir Latifi in the main event, and walked away with the biggest payday.

Before we go any further, we should note that most international UFC events don't have their fighter pay info released, so none of the following salary data for the event is official.  However, you can get a fairly accurate picture of a fighter's pay based on official purse info released from past fights.  So, based on that info, here is the estimated pay breakdown for the 26 fighters that traded blows at the event (but please remember - this is only an estimate, not official info, especially for any fighters that made their UFC debuts at the event - for Strikeforce fighters that made their debut, we used their most recent Strikeforce pay level as their estimate).  These numbers obviously also don't include any PPV revenue, undisclosed bonuses and/or sponsorship money any of these fighters may have made. 

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(Eric Bolte-USA TODAY Sports)

Last night couldn't have gone much better for Georges St-Pierre - he vanquished his rival, he soaked up the love of his hometown crowd, and he walked away with the biggest paycheck.

Before we go any further, we should note that most international UFC events don't have their fighter pay info released, so none of the following salary data for the event is official.  However, you can get a fairly accurate picture of a fighter's pay based on official purse info released from past fights.  So, based on that info, here is the estimated pay breakdown for the 24 fighters that traded blows at the event (but please remember - this is only an estimate, not official info, especially for any fighters that made their UFC debuts at the event).  These numbers obviously also don't include any PPV revenue, undisclosed bonuses and/or sponsorship money any of these fighters may have made. 

The old dog still has some bite left in him - Wanderlei Silva scored an impressive KO victory over Brian Stann, plus walked out of the Saitama Super Arena with the biggest paycheck (along with Hector Lombard) at UFC on Fuel TV: Silva vs Stann.  Silva and Lombard are also among the top 10 earners for 2013 so far.

Before we go any further, we should note that Japan doesn't release fighter pay info, so none of the following salary data for the event is official.  However, you can get a fairly accurate picture of a fighter's pay based on official purse info released from past fights.  So, based on that info, here is the estimated pay breakdown for the 22 fighters that traded blows at the event (but please remember - this is only an estimate, not official info, especially for any fighters that made their UFC debuts at the event or for Mark Hunt, whose salary has never been publically revealed since joining the UFC).  These numbers obviously also don't include any PPV revenue, undisclosed bonuses and/or sponsorship money any of these fighters may have made.

Ronda Rousey might have been the star of the show, but four veterans on the UFC 157 card out-earned her (at least in terms of released fighter purse info).  Dan Henderson, the oldest man on the card came out with the biggest payday.  In fact, Henderson and Lyoto Machida are now among the ten highest paid fighters this year.

Here is the fighter purse info for UFC 157, released by the California Athletic Commission.