3. B.J Penn- $22 Million
BJ Penn is one of the most financially successful fighters in UFC history. This in main part is due to the sheer number of PPVs he main event’ed.
At the time, his fight with GSP at UFC 94 was the highest grossing PPV featuring welterweights in UFC history. That record would be broken at UFC 158, which was headlined by Georges St. Pierre vs. Nick Diaz.
Penn’s financial career takes a hit because the company wasn’t as successful as it is now during his peak. Case in point, Penn’s 2nd fight with Matt Hughes, which was a huge event at the time, only brought in 25% of the viewership that any of Conor McGregor’s last 3 fights has done. The UFC really felt that BJ Penn would became a bigger star than he did. Perhaps they realized then that talent wasn’t all it takes to create a superstar.
