Paige VanZant Salary: Coronavirus-Positive MMA Fighter Makes More On Instagram Than In UFC

Paige VanZant has ended her contract with UFC. Here is how much she makes per fight and off the Octagon.

VanZant makes around $46,000 per fight, which will be doubled if she wins in the UFC, a report from Yahoo! Sports revealed. She has been in the sport long enough to know that there is a huge pay gap between male and female fighters. She was asking for a better deal from UFC President Dana White, however, she lost her last fight against Amanda Ribas in July 2020, which would certainly not help her cause. But the flyweight fighter is determined to get what she deserves, even if that means joining rival companies.

VanZant is one of the few female athletes who has leveraged her popularity on the Octagon to social media. Her Instagram account has 2.7 million followers and she claims she makes more per sponsored post than when she is fighting in the UFC. Some of her brand collaborations include Reebok, Metro PCs, Monster Energy Drinks and Harley Davidson. According to Business Insider, given that her estimated career earnings is at $525,500, this means her social media deals are a lot more lucrative.

It is not clear how much she exactly makes but athletes, especially those who have millions of fans and followers across social media platforms, earn some serious money. Cristiano Ronaldo with more than 176 million followers on Instagram makes $975,000 per branded post while Neymar’s post fetches $722,000, per GQ.

On the other hand, the Dundee, Oregon native has appeared in “Dancing with the Stars” and “Chopped” which explains her impressive social media following. VanZant revealed on her Instagram page that she has tested positive for coronavirus. She added that she got the virus from her husband, Austin Vanderford, as reported by MMA Fighting.

The UFC has just resumed promoting after it received clearance to hold fights subject to strict protocols. Although VanZant and Vanderford are not fighting under the UFC, VanZant signed for Bare Knuckle FC while Vanderford is with Bellator, being COVID-19-positive means automatic exclusion from fight cards for any athletes.

In July, the highest-earning female MMA fighters were revealed via The Sports Daily. The cash throne belongs to Amanda Nunes, who makes as much as $450,000 per won fight, including performance bonus. The lowest paid on the list is Michelle Waterson, who earns around $140,000 per won fight.

If VanZant decides to hang her gloves for good and enter the showbiz industry, she should look up to former MMA fighter Gina Carano for inspiration. Carano last fought on top of the Octagon in 2009, then she debuted in the 2011 action movie “Haywire.”