UFC 181 Salaries: Lawler, Pettis, Melendez Top $1.3 Million Payroll

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Newly crowned UFC welterweight champion Robbie Lawler earned an event-high $220,000 for his title-winning performance against Johny Hendricks at UFC 181.

Half of Lawler’s purse came in the form of a $110,000 win bonus, according to documents released Monday by the Nevada Athletic Commission. Former champ Hendricks, who came up on the short end of a five-round split decision at Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas on Saturday, earned $150,000 in defeat.

Lightweight ace Anthony Pettis collected $200,000 for his first title defense, including a $100,000 win bonus. The man he submitted via second-round guillotine, Gilbert Melendez, took home a guaranteed $200,000 in “show” money, with no bonus if he had won.

Other high earners on the card included bantamweight Urijah Faber ($140,000), heavyweight Travis Browne ($100,000) and lightweight Tony Ferguson ($48,000).

Note: The disclosed purses reported by state athletic commissions do not include any performance-based or discretionary bonuses that may be awarded to a fighter by the promotion. Additionally, the reported figures do not reflect any deductions made by the commission for taxes, insurance, etc., and do not include any sponsorship money that a fighter may acquire for their performance.

UFC 181 Salaries

Robbie Lawler: $220,000 (includes $110,000 win bonus)
Johny Hendricks: $150,000

Anthony Pettis: $200,000 (includes $100,000 win bonus)
Gilbert Melendez: $200,000

Travis Browne: $100,000 (includes $50,000 win bonus)
Brendan Schaub: $32,000

Todd Duffee: $20,000 (includes $10,000 win bonus)
Anthony Hamilton: $10,000

Tony Ferguson: $48,000 (includes $24,000 win bonus)
Abel Trujillo: $14,000

Urijah Faber: $140,000 (includes $70,000 win bonus)
Francisco Rivera: $20,000

Josh Samman: $16,000 (includes $8,000 win bonus)
Eddie Gordon: $15,000

Corey Anderson: $30,000 (includes $15,000 win bonus)
Justin Jones: $8,000

Raquel Pennington: $20,000 (includes $10,000 win bonus)
Ashlee Evans-Smith: $8,000

Sergio Pettis: $30,000 (includes $15,000 win bonus)
Matt Hobar: $10,000

Clay Collard: $16,000 (includes $8,000 win bonus)
Alex White: $10,000