The issue of fighter pay in the UFC is an old one. However, despite being an old one, it still continues to incur the wrath of the MMA fans world over. How can athletes who put their lives on the line earn only a small fraction of the sport’s overall profit? Those concerns have now resurfaced once again after Sportico released its updated “100 Highest-Paid Athletes in the World” list for 2025. The rankings featured combat sports stars such as Canelo Alvarez, Terence Crawford, Jake Paul, and Naoya Inoue.

Unsurprisingly, though, no UFC champions appeared anywhere on the list despite having fought more times than most of their boxing counterparts. The contrast was striking. The list spans eight different sports and 28 countries, with total estimated earnings for 2025 reaching a staggering $6.05 billion—which includes $4.63 billion in salaries and $1.42 billion from endorsements and other income streams. With numbers like these highlighting the gap, the question remains: who was the highest-paid combat athlete of 2025?

Canelo Alvarez tops Sportico’s highest-paid fighter

At the top of the list, regardless of sport, Cristiano Ronaldo led all athletes with total earnings of $260 million. He earned $200 million in salary, with the remaining $60 million coming from endorsements and sponsorships. Among fighters, Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez topped the rankings, finishing second overall with $137 million in total earnings.

Of that amount, $125 million came from fight purses, while $12 million was generated through endorsements. Canelo fought twice in 2025—first against William Scull in May, followed by his blockbuster showdown with Terence Crawford in September. Meanwhile, Crawford ranked 21st overall and was the second-highest-paid fighter of the year, earning $66 million. 

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His income included $60 million in salary and $6 million from endorsements. Notably, Crawford fought only once in 2025, that bout being against Canelo. Four spots below him on the list was Naoya Inoue, who earned $62 million for the year, consisting of $45 million in salary and $17 million in endorsements.

Unlike most of his peers, Inoue fought four times in 2025 to reach that figure. Meanwhile, Jake Paul finished 30th overall with total earnings of $60 million in 2025. He earned $50 million from fight purses and an additional $10 million through endorsements. Paul competed twice during the year, facing Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. and later Anthony Joshua in December.

Regardless, Sportico’s 2024 list looked a lot different. 

Sportico’s 2024 100 Highest-Paid Fighters List

While Cristiano Ronaldo remained at the top of the list, it wasn’t Canelo Alvarez who occupied the No. 2 spot in 2024. Instead, Tyson Fury emerged as the highest-earning fighter of the year, making $147 million and finishing third overall. Former two-time undisputed heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk followed closely behind at No. 7, with total earnings of $122 million.

Canelo ranked significantly lower in 2024, coming in at No. 20 with $73 million in earnings. Anthony Joshua placed 30th after earning $60 million, while Jake Paul finished at No. 53 with $48 million. Japan’s Naoya Inoue rounded out the group at No. 81, posting total earnings of $42 million for the year.

The contrast between 2024 and 2025 is striking. Boxers who remained on the list in 2025 saw their earnings rise dramatically year over year. Meanwhile, UFC fighters continued to be absent from the rankings, despite MMA’s recent surge in mainstream popularity.

What do you make of this growing pay disparity between boxing and MMA in the modern era?