UFC 109 Fighter Salaries: Couture and Serra Earn Top Payouts
Headlining hall of famer Randy Couture and former welterweight champ Matt Serra topped the $944,000 payroll for Saturday’s “UFC 109: Relentless,” according to official fighter salaries released by the Nevada State Athletic Commission.
Couture earned a flat $250,000 for his second-round submission of Mark Coleman in the UFC 109 headliner, while Serra scored $150,000 for his first-round knockout of fellow veteran Frank Trigg. Other top earners included middleweight contender Chael Sonenn ($64,000), Demian Maia ($62,000), and Coleman ($60,000).
UFC 109 drew a crowd of 10,687 to the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas for a $2.27 million live gate.
The official fighter salaries for UFC 109 were:
- Randy Couture ($250,000 – no win bonus) def. Mark Coleman ($60,000)
- Chael Sonnen ($64,000 – includes $32,000 win bonus) def. Nate Marquardt ($45,000)
- Paulo Thiago ($30,000 – $15,000 win bonus) def. Mike Swick ($43,000)
- Demian Maia ($62,000 – $31,000 win bonus) def. Dan Miller ($15,000)
- Matt Serra ($150,000 – $75,000 win bonus) def. Frank Trigg ($30,000)
- Mac Danzig ($40,000 – $20,000 win bonus) def. Justin Buchholz ($8,000)
- Melvin Guillard ($28,000 – $14,000 win bonus) def. Ronys Torres ($4,000)
- Rob Emerson ($24,000 – $12,000 win bonus) def. Phillipe Nover ($10,000)
- Phil Davis ($10,000 – $5,000 win bonus) def. Brian Stann ($17,000)
- Chris Tuchscherer ($20,000 – $10,000 win bonus) def. Tim Hague ($7,000)
- Joey Beltran ($12,000 – $6,000 win bonus) def. Rolles Gracie ($15,000)
In addition to the salaries listed above, which are simply those disclosed by the promotion to the athletic commission and not representative of a fighter’s total earnings, Sonnen, Marquardt, Thiago, and Serra each took home $60,000 “fight night” bonuses for their performances at UFC 109.
SEE ALSO: UFC 109 Results, UFC 109 Recap, UFC 109 Coverage
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Pictured: Randy Couture
Tags: Brian Stann, Chael Sonnen, Chris Tuchscherer, Dan Miller, Demian Maia, Frank Trigg, Joey Beltran, justin buchholz, Mac Danzig, mark coleman, Matt Serra, Melvin Guillard, Mike Swick, Nate Marquardt, Paulo Thiago, Phil Davis, Phillipe Nover, Randy Couture, rob emerson, Rolles Gracie, Ronys Torres, Tim Hague
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I have a feeling that, if he hasn’t done so already, Paulo Thiago will be getting a raise in his next contract negotiation. I believe he signed a four fight deal when he came into the UFC, so his next fight will be number 4, and he could look to negotiate his extension prior to that bout.
Oops, further down, Jazz remember a fight I had forgotten, this was Thiago’s fourth fight, so unless he already renegotiated, now is a good time for him to get a raise. I say all this based on the assumption that he got the typical “four fight contract” that newcomers to the UFC get.
Forget Thiago! Where does this leave Serra? I think about 50% of you believe, like me, that he beat Hughes. Now he whoops up on Trigg. Is my main man REALLY one big fight away from a re-match with GSP??
beating on Trigg is a big win? He was suppose to win that fight Serra is just simply the better fighter, Couture was suppose to do what he did, I don’t think he is deserving of a title shot for beating Coleman, though some people have hinted at it..
Serra needs a couple more fights to get back in it, likewise for Couture, IMO.
Also, I thought you were going to do an even better avatar for the Isles losing to the Canes, again. ;)
You’e SO right…I do need a better avatar. (and hockey team for that matter!!) I’ve been so busy. You get your full TWO WEEKS as soon as I finish it. It should be ready tomorrow night.
F Trigg and M Serra are bunch of bums now.. but thats lot of money what Serra got paid good for him… that goes for the Steriod man Sherk there days for big fight are over.. R Coutre gonna get another title shot again because he still draw big time crowd.. he might have a hard time aganist Rua or Machudia but people still love to watch him fight
LOL
Serra is one win away from GSP? Sorry dude, that’s like koscheck beating trigg and asking for a title shot, dreamin dude! dreamin! I like serra, but he needs to knock out 2 to 3 dudes and atleast 2 need to be top guys to get back to “the greatness”.
Couture, might be one BIG win away simply because he’s “couture”, NOT because he’s beaten the guys he needs to,or because he actually IS the #1 guy, but only because of who he is. He would get killed by any of the top 205ers though.
Thiago has shut many people up by completely taking out 2 out of 3 aka ww’s. He’s also become my boy in doing so :D
He should absolutely be considered a top ww and negotiate a new contract where he gets paid what he deserves. He’s finished 3 out of his 4 fights no?
Ko’d KOSCHECK
Dropped decision to Fitch
Submitted VOLKMANN
SUBMITTED SWICK
Volkmann was a decision.
heehee…two more weeks of Carolina Hurricanes…ugh.
Serra’s a bum?!?!? You might think that he was beaten by Hughes (you’ld be wrong! HAHA) but a BUM?!?!? The first American BJJ Black Belt under Renzo Gracie?? A BUM?!?!
Anywho, my point was, that he beat Hughes, and now beats Trigg, where does that leave him in the standings? Who should he fight next?
As a side story, I grabbed some Checkers for lunch today (Rally’s, to you left-coasters) and needed to eat in my car. I also needed to buy new shoes for work, so I decided to eat in front of Serra’s BJJ Academy. Not a stalker, I swear! Just eating lunch by the shoe store!
He was beaten by Hughes, according to the three people that matter when it comes to their records, whether you like it or not. Just like Shogun was beaten by Machida.
I know…but there’s always at least a LITTLE bit of truth to public perception as to what happened. Jones v. Hamill and Shogun v. Machida being the obvious counter-arguements.
Did you think Serra beat Hughes? That would be all I’d need….that, and maybe the 7 game skid of the Islanders to end. :(
I’m a Hughes fan, so I gave it to him, but it really was close and probably could have gone either way.
You let me down…and on my birthday, too!! HAHA.
Sorry, but it needs to be said. Or posted, as the case may be.
GarRule = Serra stalker.
:P
Well… sorry. Happy birthday though.
HAHA…as I’m munching down on what I believe was called a “Bacon-zilla”, I couldn’t help but feel kinda weird that I was plopped right in front of his school. I swear it was a chance thing, being that I teach in the same town, and the show place was right there.
I did try to swipe Longo’s fanny pack.
Nice avatar.
And before the complainers start, I’d like to point out that there was almost ONE MILLION DOLLARS in disclosed salaries alone for this event. Granted, 1/2 of that was earned by just 4 people, but still. That’s a lot of cash for just 22 fighters.
That was a good win for Couture but Coleman looked like someone slipped something in his water bottle. The guy through like 3 punches the whole fight
@ Justin…
if Dana grants Thiago’s wish to put him in the next video game, wont he earn some sort of royalty based on games sold, promotions, etc.?
somewhat in reference to your first post.
I’m not sure about the deal there, I would think there are some royalties to be gained from the video game, but some of the websites that claim to have gotten a hold of the video game contracts claim that there is no compensation, which was part of Fitch’s problem with being in the game. I personally think that is not likely to be the case, but without seeing the contract I don’t know for sure.
right on.. cheers!
Maybe instead of residuals or royalties Dana pays guys a flat fee for perpetual use of their likeness rights in the video game?
Nice night of work for Sonnen.
Not only does he earn close to six figures [not counting sponsorship coin] and a title shot, but he snags the respect and attention of the fans and more importantly, the UFC.
Well done…
if maybe Serra beats Hughes what is that gonna prove… GSP gonna **** slap serra.. that his only highlight of his career.. lucky knee to GSP and winning great…. i feel bad for u being a Islander fan.. aleast ur golie back after 10 years.. im surprised G snow not giving John T his 20 year contract for not scoring a goal in ages