Ronda Rousey’s 17-second armbar was also the biggest disclosed payday at MVP MMA 1.
California State Athletic Commission figures obtained by MMA Fighting list Rousey at $2.2 million for her main event win over Gina Carano on Saturday night at Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California. Francis Ngannou was next at $1.5 million, while Carano earned $1.05 million for her first MMA fight since 2009.
That puts three fighters above seven figures on MVP’s first MMA card. The figures were flat purses, not show-and-win payouts. They also do not include private bonuses, sponsorship money, backend deals, taxes, management fees, or other money that may exist outside disclosed commission paperwork.
Rousey’s number fits the whole setup. She was the main event, the biggest mainstream name on the card, and the fighter who submitted Carano in 17 seconds after nearly a decade away from MMA. Carano’s purse was also massive for a 17-year layoff, but MVP was paying for history as much as current form.
Jake Paul had already pushed MVP’s pay angle before fight night, saying Rousey was making more for the Carano fight than Ilia Topuria makes in the UFC and claiming MVP’s lowest-paid fighter still beat UFC entry-level pay.
Jake Paul says that Ronda Rousey is making a lot more for her main event with Gina Carano than Ilia Topuria is when he fights for the UFC.
He also adds the lowest paid fighter on MVP’s card is still making more than the lowest paid guy in the UFC. pic.twitter.com/D12PP5Du21
— FULL SEND MMA (@full_send_mma) May 13, 2026
Ronda Rousey made just over $129,411 per second for her comeback win over Gina Carano on Saturday #RouseyCarano
— Damon Martin (@DamonMartin) May 17, 2026
MVP MMA 1 Disclosed Prize Money
The disclosed purses for the card were:
- Ronda Rousey: $2.2 million
- Francis Ngannou: $1.5 million
- Gina Carano: $1.05 million
- Nate Diaz: $500,000
- Mike Perry: $400,000
- Jason Jackson: $110,000
- Philipe Lins: $100,000
- Junior dos Santos: $80,000
- Adriano Moraes: $80,000
- Salahdine Parnasse: $70,000
- Phumi Nkuta: $60,000
- Kenneth Cross: $50,000
- Robelis Despaigne: $50,000
- Jefferson Creighton: $50,000
- David Mgoyan: $50,000
- Chris Avila: $50,000
- Namo Baker: $40,000
- Jake Babian: $40,000
- Albert Morales: $40,000
- Aline Pereira: $40,000
- Jade Masson-Wong: $40,000
- Brandon Jenkins: $40,000
Ngannou’s purse is the other major number here. The former UFC heavyweight champion earned $1.5 million for his first-round knockout win over Philipe Lins, who was listed at $100,000. Ngannou has been the face of fighter leverage since leaving the UFC, and even if this was not his biggest combat sports check, it still put him well above nearly the entire MVP MMA 1 lineup.
Netflix Sports posted Ngannou’s finish here:
https://x.com/netflixsports/status/2055838417703878990
Diaz and Perry also landed strong disclosed money for their bloody co-main event. Diaz earned $500,000, while Perry earned $400,000 before stopping Diaz after the doctor ruled the cuts were too much. Perry’s number stands out because his bare-knuckle run turned him into a real draw outside the UFC, not just a chaotic fan favorite.
The $40,000 floor is the number MVP will probably keep waving around. Rousey had already promoted MVP MMA’s pay model before the event, and disclosed purses like these give the promotion an easy talking point against UFC entry-level criticism.
There are limits to what commission payouts prove. They show the disclosed purse, not the full financial picture. Still, MVP MMA 1 clearly spent real money on names.
