UFC 197 Salaries: Jon Jones Tops Payroll with $500,000; ‘Mighty Mouse’ Nabs $195K

Newly crowned UFC interim light heavyweight champion Jon Jones took home half a million dollars for his victory in the main event of Saturday’s UFC 197.

Sherdog.com on Monday obtained from the Nevada Athletic Commission a list of disclosed payouts from the event, which took place April 23 at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

Jones, who took a five-round unanimous decision against Ovince St. Preux in the show’s short-notice main event, was always guaranteed to make $500,000 in “show” money with no win bonus added. St. Preux, meanwhile, collected a purse of $55,000 which would have doubled with a win.

Co-main event winner and reigning UFC flyweight king Demetrious Johnson was paid $195,000 for his first-round demolition of Henry Cejudo. “Mighty Mouse” earned a base salary of $195,000 with a $60,000 win bonus, while former Olympic wrestler Cejudo took home $60,000 in defeat.

Other top earners on the card included lightweight striker Edson Barboza ($88,000) and his opponent, former champ Anthony Pettis ($80,000). Rising middleweight Robert Whittaker and ex-strawweight titleholder Carla Esparza each pocketed $60,000 for their victorious outings.

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 197 Salaries

Jon Jones: $500,000
Ovince St. Preux: $55,000

Demetrious Johnson: $195,000 (includes $60,000 win bonus)
Henry Cejudo: $60,000

Edson Barboza: $88,000 (includes $44,000 win bonus)
Anthony Pettis: $80,000

Robert Whittaker: $60,000 (includes $30,000 win bonus)
Rafael Natal: $41,000

Yair Rodriguez: $42,000 (includes $21,000 win bonus)
Andre Fili: $18,000

Sergio Pettis: $48,000 (includes $24,000 win bonus)
Chris Kelades: $12,000

Danny Roberts: $24,000 (includes $12,000 win bonus)
Dominique Steele: $12,000

Carla Esparza: $60,000 (includes $30,000 win bonus)
Juliana Lima: $14,000

James Vick: $30,000 (includes $15,000 win bonus)
Glaico Franca: $17,000

Walt Harris: $20,000 (includes $10,000 win bonus)
Cody East: $10,000

Marcos Rogerio de Lima: $24,000 (includes $12,000 win bonus)
Clint Hester: $12,000

Kevin Lee: $48,000 (includes $24,000 win bonus)
Efrain Escudero: $18,000