UFC 197 Athlete Outfitting pay: Demetrious Johnson tops $222,500 payout

LAS VEGAS – Fighters from Saturday’s UFC 197 event took home UFC Athlete Outfitting pay, a program that launched after the UFC’s deal with Reebok, totaling $222,500.

UFC flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson (24-2-1 MMA, 12-1-1 UFC) took home the night’s largest check, earning $40,000 for his first-round TKO victory over previously undefeated challenger Henry Cejudo (10-1 MMA, 4-1 UFC). As a title challenger, Cejudo took home $30,000, despite the loss.

UFC 197 took place Saturday at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. The main card aired on pay-per-view following prelims on FOX Sports 1 and UFC Fight Pass.

In the night’s main event, former UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones (22-1 MMA, 16-1 UFC) took home $30,000 while claiming the promotion’s vacant interim light heavyweight title. Ovince Saint Preux (19-8 MMA, 7-3 UFC) also took home $30,000 in a losing effort.

The full UFC 197 UFC Athlete Outfitting payouts included:

Jon Jones: $30,000
def. Ovince Saint Preux: $30,000

Demetrious Johnson: $40,000
def. Henry Cejudo: $30,000

Edson Barboza: $10,000
def. Anthony Pettis: $10,000

Robert Whittaker: $5,000
def. Rafael Natal: $10,000

Yair Rodriguez: $2,500
def. Andre Fili: $5,000

Sergio Pettis: $5,000
def. Chris Kelades: $2,500

Danny Roberts: $2,500
def. Dominique Steele: $2,500

Carla Esparza: $2,500
def. Juliana Lima: $2,500

James Vick: $2,500
def. Glaico Franca: $2,500

Walt Harris: $2,500
def. Cody East: $2,500

Marcos Rogerio de Lima: $2,500
def. Clint Hester: $5,000

Kevin Lee: $5,000
def. Efrain Escudero: $10,000

Under the 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.

Full 2016 UFC-Reebok sponsorship payouts:

• “UFC 197: Jones vs. Saint Preux” – $222,500
• “UFC on FOX 19: Teixeira vs. Evans” – $120,000
• “UFC Fight Night 86: Rothwell vs. Dos Santos” – $107,500
• “UFC Fight Night 85: Hunt vs. Mir” – $110,000
• “UFC 196: McGregor vs. Diaz” – $220,000
• “UFC Fight Night 84: Silva vs. Bisping” – $120,000
• “UFC Fight Night 83: Cowboy vs. Cowboy” – $125,000
• “UFC Fight Night 82: Hendricks vs. Thompson” – $145,000
• “UFC on FOX 18: Johnson vs. Bader” – $137,500
• “UFC Fight Night 81: Dillashaw vs. Cruz” – $230,000
• “UFC 195: Lawler vs. Condit” – $172,500

Year-to-date total: $1,932,500
2015 total: $3,185,000
Program-to-date total: $4,895,000

For more on UFC 197, check out the UFC Events section of the site.