“Listen, five of the biggest UFC fighters combined can’t match my pay.” That’s what heavyweight legend Mike Tyson declared while attending a Hard Rock Bet event recently, when asked if he would’ve ever considered competing in the UFC during his prime. “I want to be the biggest fighter, the biggest purse, I want all that stuff. When Mike Tyson fights, he shuts everything down, the biggest purse.”

It’s no secret that Tyson headlined some of the most lucrative events in combat sports history, earning millions each time he stepped into the ring. UFC fighters, meanwhile, have built their own empires under the sport’s modern spotlight. But their paychecks pale in comparison to Tyson’s massive purses. Still, Tyson’s bold claim raises a question: Could the combined earnings of today’s top UFC stars really fall short of what Tyson made for a single fight?

Who is the highest-earning UFC fighter of all time – Conor McGregor or Jon Jones?

When it comes to career earnings in the UFC, there’s no contest! Conor McGregor is the highest-earning UFC fighter of all time, far surpassing Jon Jones. According to data from BetMGM, the former UFC double champion has earned $39.3 million from his UFC fights alone, excluding pay-per-view bonuses and sponsorship deals. His stardom peaked in 2016 when he became the first fighter in the UFC to hold titles in two divisions simultaneously.

Jon Jones, on the other hand, has earned $10.9 million, ranking ninth on the all-time list. Even though he has dominated light heavyweight and heavyweight, Jones’ paydays have never matched McGregor’s massive purses. McGregor’s mix of elite fighting skill, charisma, and record-breaking pay-per-view numbers makes him not only the UFC’s biggest draw but also its richest athlete. Now, coming back to Tyson, what was his biggest purse?

Mike Tyson’s highest boxing purses: How much did ‘Iron Mike’ really make?

Some reports suggest that Mike Tyson earned a whopping £307 million or $355 million during his boxing career back in the late 80s and 90s. However, his lavish lifestyle and a lack of financial literacy ended up causing him to go bankrupt soon after. Regardless, still the youngest heavyweight champion of the world, Mike Tyson’s biggest payday came at the tail end of his career.

Usually, Tyson would make $20 to $30 million from his big fights. However, in 2002, Tyson fought Lennox Lewis, a fight that earned him a life-changing amount of money. According to The Mirror, Tyson pocketed £80 million or $103 million from the one fight alone. This easily surpasses Conor McGregor’s earnings per fight and also his career earnings from the UFC.

Top 5 Mike Tyson career payouts vs UFC’s richest paydays ever

For Mike Tyson, his biggest paydays came against Lewis ($103 million), Evander Holyfield I ($30 million), Evander Holyfield II ($30 million), Frank Bruno II ($30 million), and Bruce Seldon ($30 million). On the other side of the combat sports pond, Conor McGregor’s disclosed purse is $6.8 million at UFC 205 against Eddie Alvarez.

Ronda Rousey, the highest-paid female fighter, earned about $5.6 million at UFC 207, while Georges St-Pierre ($4.31 million UFC 129), Jon Jones ($3.64 million UFC 182), and Anderson Silva ($4.37 million UFC 168) each peaked near $4 million per fight. Even combined, the UFC’s richest nights can’t match Tyson’s record-breaking paydays—proof that ‘Iron Mike’ reigned supreme not just in the ring, but also in the world of fight purses.

Having said that, Mike Tyson’s claims during the recent interview about making more money than the “biggest UFC fighters combined” are absolutely true. But what do you think about all this?