TUF 22 Finale's Athlete Outfitting pay: Vet Gabriel Gonzaga tops payout list

Gabriel Gonzaga

LAS VEGAS – Fighters from Friday’s The Ultimate Fighter 22 Finale event at The Chelsea at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas took home UFC Athlete Outfitting pay, a program that launched after the UFC’s deal with Reebok, totaling $142,500.

In the FOX Sports 1-broadcast headliner, Frankie Edgar (20-4-1 MMA, 14-4-1 UFC) cracked Chad Mendes (17-4 MMA, 8-4 UFC) on the jaw with a near-perfect left hook. Mendes crumpled to the floor, and Edgar followed up with a few extra punches that brought the bout to a halt at the 2:28 mark of Round 1.

Each man took home $15,000 for his efforts.

The night’s biggest check was earned on the prelims. Former heavyweight title challenger and longtime UFC fighter Gabriel Gonzaga (17-10 MMA, 12-9 UFC) earned $20,000 for a slow-paced decision win over Konstantin Erokhin (9-3 MMA, 0-2 UFC).

The full TUF 22 Finale UFC Athlete Outfitting payouts included:

Frankie Edgar: $15,000
def. Chad Mendes: $15,000

Ryan Hall: $2,500
def. Artem Lobov: $2,500

Tony Ferguson: $10,000
def. Edson Barboza: $10,000

Evan Dunham: $15,000
def. Joe Lauzon: $15,000

Tatsuya Kawajiri: $2,500
def. Jason Knight: $2,500

Julian Erosa: $2,500
def. Marcin Wrzosek: $2,500

Gabriel Gonzaga: $20,000
vs. Konstantin Erokhin: $2,500

Ryan LaFlare: $5,000
def. Mike Pierce: $10,000

Geane Herrera: $2,500
vs. Joby Sanchez: $2,500

Chris Gruetzemacher: $2,500
def. Abner Lloveras: $2,500

Under the new UFC Athlete Outfitting program’s payout tiers, which appropriate the money generated by Reebok’s multi-year sponsorship with the UFC, fighters are paid based on their total number of UFC bouts, as well as Zuffa-era WEC fights (January 2007 and later) and Zuffa-era Strikeforce bouts (April 2011 and later). Fighters with 1-5 bouts receive $2,500 per appearance; 6-10 bouts get $5,000; 11-15 bouts earn $10,000; 16-20 bouts pocket $15,000; and 21 bouts and more get $20,000. Additionally, champions earn $40,000 while title challengers get $30,000.

In addition to experience-based pay, UFC fighters will receive, in perpetuity royalty, payments amounting to 20-30 percent of any UFC merchandise sold that bears their likeness, according to officials.

The Athlete Outfitting pay is supplemental to the fighters’ usual fight purses.

Full 2015 UFC-Reebok sponsorship payouts:

• “The Ultimate Fighter 22 Finale: Edgar vs. Mendes” – $142,500
• “UFC Fight Night 80: VanZant vs. Namajunas” – $95,000
• “UFC Fight Night 79: Henderson vs. Masvidal” – $92,500
• “UFC Fight Night 78: Magny vs. Gastelum” – $130,000
• “UFC 193: Rousey vs. Holm” – $245,000
• “UFC Fight Night 77: Belfort vs. Henderson 3” – $160,000
• “UFC Fight Night 76: Holohan vs. Smolka” – $62,500
• “UFC 192: Cormier vs. Gustafsson” – $192,500
• “UFC Fight Night 75: Barnett vs. Nelson” – $102,500
• “UFC 191: Johnson vs. Dodson 2” – $192,500
• “UFC Fight Night 74: Holloway vs. Oliveira” – $142,500
• “UFC Fight Night 73: Teixeira vs. Saint Preux” – $107,500
• “UFC 190: Rousey vs. Correia” – $202,500
• “UFC on FOX 16: Dillashaw vs. Barao 2” – $212,500
• “UFC Fight Night 72: Bisping vs. Leites” – $110,000
• “UFC Fight Night 71: Mir vs. Duffee” – $137,500
• “The Ultimate Fighter 21 Finale: Ellenberger vs. Thompson” – $90,000
• “UFC 189: Mendes vs. McGregor” – $235,000

Year-to-date total: $2,652,500

For complete coverage of The Ultimate Fighter 22 Finale, check out the UFC Events section of the site.