There have been a lot of conversations about fighter pay in MMA in the past couple of years, spearheaded by fighters like Jon Jones and Jorge Masvidal at times. In the past week or two, Paulo Costa and current UFC Heavyweight Champion Francis Ngannou have commented on the difference in their purses to that of Logan Paul in his recent fight against Floyd Mayweather. When Nate Diaz was asked about Ngannou’s “what are we doing wrong?” comment, his response was, “what is he doing wrong?... I’ve been doing more right than all these motherfuckers for years and years. They should have been spitting all that ‘I need money’ shit a long time ago like I was… and what happened? The stock just raised anyway.” He’s not lying. Today, Nate Diaz boasts an estimated net worth of approximately $8 million.
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What Is Nate Diaz’s Net Worth?
Fight Earnings
But of course, it wasn’t always that way.
Diaz first debuted in the UFC on the TUF 5 Finale, fighting Manvel Gamburyan. He was given a check for just $16,000. If he had lost the fight, he would have made just $8,000 before taxes and paying coaches. A couple of fights later when he stepped into the octagon against Alvin Robinson, he had graduated to a $15k/$15k contract. He won the fight but also earned a bonus for Submission of the Night, which bagged him an extra $40k, totaling $70k for that fight.
The first time that Nate earned six figures in a fight was just over three years into his UFC career. It was at UFC 118 which was headlined by Frankie Edgar and B.J. Penn’s second scrap. The younger Diaz brother tapped Marcus Davis in round three, earning his $30k show money, $30k win bonus, and a $60k Fight of the Night bonus. Over the next few years, while he traded wins and losses, Diaz’s purses would fluctuate massively. In 2012 when he beat Jim Miller, Nate pocketed $147k but just under a year later after he was stopped by Josh Thompson, Nate made just $15k. That’s even less than his debut. This is just one of the issues that people have with the UFC’s show money/win bonus structure, it means that fighters get punished for losing in a sport where losing is far more acceptable than boxing, for example.
How Much Did Nate Diaz Make Fighting Conor McGregor?
When Nate Diaz filled in for Rafael dos Anjos against Conor McGregor, his purse for it versus up to that point were night and day. For the short notice fight against the then-Featherweight Champion and undefeated (in the UFC) Irishman, for the first time in his career, Nate made a flat fee of $500k. On top of that, his two bonuses for Fight of the Night and Performance of the Night earned him $50k each and Reebok paid him $20k. That’s $620k in total, a massive rise from his previous years with the company. That doesn’t include the PPV points that he might have gotten either. Now, with a win over the company’s biggest star, the ball was in his court.
Nate earned himself a flat fee of a whopping $2 million for the rematch five months later, easily his biggest purse to date. The FOTN bonus and his Reebok sponsorship made him $70k on top, and with PPV points included, he undoubtedly made an extra few million too. Nate’s total career earnings from his UFC fight purses add up to nearly $5 million.
Endorsements & Ventures
In terms of endorsements, Nate Diaz has been with some brands that are close to him. He’s had deals with Represent Ltd and Lodi Vintners. There’s also Game Up Nutrition, which is a CBD brand founded by Nate and his older brother Nick. They offer organic hemp-based products which match up with the disciplined lifestyle they both live.
Next Fight
Nate’s next fight takes place this Saturday at UFC 263, live from the Gila River Arena in Glendale, AZ. He fights Leon Edwards at 170lbs, by all accounts a very tough fight for him. There’s no word yet on what his purse could be, but in terms of the matchup, Edwards is on a big win streak and is one win away from challenging the dominant champion, Kamaru Usman. Nate is coming off of the loss to Jorge Masvidal in late 2019.
Interestingly, this fight is already historic long before it takes place. It’s the first UFC fight ever that is scheduled for 5 rounds despite not being the main event or a title fight. Some would argue that this suits Diaz and the way he weaponizes his cardio, but perhaps it only gives the Birmingham fighter more time to impose his own will. Only time will tell.
