UFC 192 Reebok-sponsor pay: Bader, Evans among top non-title payments

Ryan Bader and Rashad Evans

Fighters from Saturday’s UFC 192 event took home Reebok sponsorship pay totaling $192,500, which tied is tied for the fourth-largest total of the 11 cards held under the program to date.

“UFC 192: Cormier vs. Gustafsson” took place at Houston’s Toyota Center. In the pay-per-view headliner, light-heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier (17-1 MMA, 6-1 UFC) notched his first title defense and edged out challenger Alexander Gustafsson (16-4 MMA, 8-4 UFC) in a five-round classic.

Meanwhile, after Johny Hendricks(17-3 MMA, 12-3 UFC) was ruled out of a key welterweight fight with Tyron Woodley (15-3 MMA, 5-2 UFC), Ryan Bader (20-4 MMA, 13-4 UFC) and Rashad Evans (19-4-1 MMA, 14-4-1 UFC) clashed in a big light-heavyweight c-headliner. Bader picked up one of the biggest wins of his career after outworking Evans for three rounds to pick up a decision win.

Outside of the title fight, Bader and Evans, along with Joseph Benavidez, were the top earners after netting $15,000 in sponsorship pay.

MMAjunkie confirmed with UFC officials that Woodley did receive his payment for the event despite the bout being canceled on weigh-in day.

The full UFC 192 UFC-Reebok sponsorship payouts included:

Daniel Cormier: $40,000
def. Alexander Gustafsson: $30,000

Tyron Woodley: $10,000
(opponent ruled medically ineligible)

Ryan Bader: $15,000
def. Rashad Evans: $15,000

Ruslan Magomedov: $2,500
def. Shawn Jordan: $10,000

Joseph Benavidez: $15,000
def. Ali Bagautinov: $2,500

Julianna Pena: $2,500
def. Jessica Eye: $2,500

Yair Rodriguez: $2,500
def. Daniel Hooker: $2,500

Albert Tumenov: $2,500
def. Alan Jouban: $2,500

Adriano Martins: $2,500
def. Islam Makhachev: $2,500

Rose Namajunas: $2,500
def. Angela Hill: $2,500

Sage Northcutt: $2,500
def. Francisco Trevino: $2,500

Sergio Pettis: $5,000
def. Chris Cariaso: $10,000

Derrick Lewis: $5,000
def. Viktor Pesta: $2,500

Under the new sponsorship program’s payout tiers, fighters are paid based on their total number of UFC bouts, as well as Zuffa-era WEC (January 2007 and later) and Zuffa-era Strikeforce (April 2011 and later) fights. Competitors 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.

Full 2015 UFC-Reebok sponsorship payouts:

• “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: $1,725,000

For complete coverage of UFC 192, check out the UFC Events section of the site.