Josh Barnett ($250K) Takes Home Largest Payday at Strikeforce ‘Marquardt vs. Saffiedine’

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Josh Barnett needed only 2:11 to dispatch Nandor Guelmino with an arm-triangle choke in their heavyweight bout on Saturday night, but “The Warmaster” was well compensated for his efforts.

Barnett took home $250,000 for his victory, making him the top earner of the 22 fighters who competed on the Strikeforce “Marquardt vs. Saffiedine” bill. The total disclosed payroll for the event was $1,153,500; salaries were released by the Oklahoma State Athletic Commission on Monday.

Three other fighters earned six-figure paydays for their work at the Chesapeake Energy Center in Oklahoma City, Okla.: Gegard Mousasi garnered $175,000 for his first-round submission of Mike Kyle ($25,000); Daniel Cormier made $120,000 in a second-round TKO stoppage of Dion Staring ($8,000) and Ronaldo Souza raked $100,500 after submitting UFC crossover Ed Herman ($34,000) in the opening stanza.

Strikeforce’s final event was headlined by a welterweight title bout between Tarec Saffiedine ($39,000) and Nate Marquardt ($40,000). Utilizing a relentless barrage of leg kicks, Saffiedine earned a unanimous verdict over Marquardt to become the promotion’s final 170-pound kingpin.

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.

Strikeforce “Marquardt vs.Saffiedine” Salaries:

Tarec Saffiedine: $39,000 (includes $19,500 win bonus)
Nate Marquardt: $40,000

Daniel Cormier: $120,000 (includes $60,000 win bonus)
Dion Staring: $8,000

Josh Barnett: $250,000 (no win bonus)
Nandor Guelmino: $12,000

Gegard Mousasi: $175,000 (no win bonus)
Mike Kyle: $25,000

Ronaldo Souza: $100,500 (includes $28,000 win bonus)
Ed Herman: $34,000

Ryan Couture: $22,000 (includes $7,000 win bonus)
KJ Noons: $41,000

Tim Kennedy: $80,000 (includes $25,000 win bonus)
Trevor Smith: $8,000

Pat Healy: $42,000 (includes $15,000 win bonus)
Kurt Holobaugh: $9,000

Roger Gracie: $94,000 (includes $47,000 win bonus)
Anthony Smith: $10,000

Adriano Martins: $16,000 (includes $8,000 win bonus)
Jorge Gurgel: $10,000

Estevan Payan: $12,000 (includes $6,000 win bonus)
Michael Bravo: $6,000