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Jake Paul vs. Tyron Woodley fight purse: How much did the fighters make?

Incredibly, Jake Paul says he took a pay cut. But Tommy Fury -- who may be Paul's next opponent -- says that's not true.

Gael Cooper
CNET editor Gael Fashingbauer Cooper, a journalist and pop-culture junkie, is co-author of "Whatever Happened to Pudding Pops? The Lost Toys, Tastes and Trends of the '70s and '80s," as well as "The Totally Sweet '90s." She's been a journalist since 1989, working at Mpls.St.Paul Magazine, Twin Cities Sidewalk, the Minneapolis Star Tribune, and NBC News Digital. She's Gen X in birthdate, word and deed. If Marathon candy bars ever come back, she'll be first in line.
Expertise Breaking news, entertainment, lifestyle, travel, food, shopping and deals, product reviews, money and finance, video games, pets, history, books, technology history, generational studies. Credentials
  • Co-author of two Gen X pop-culture encyclopedia for Penguin Books. Won "Headline Writer of the Year"​ award for 2017, 2014 and 2013 from the American Copy Editors Society. Won first place in headline writing from the 2013 Society for Features Journalism.
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Gael Cooper
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Jake Paul and Tyron Woodley at a recent press conference.

 Cliff Hawkins/Getty Images

Jake Paul just defeated former UFC champion Tyron Woodley in a split decision. Why did this fight even happening? Money, duh. But how much exactly?

Jake Paul told the U.K. Mirror that he took a pay cut on the fight in order to pay the undercard fighters more than they've ever made before for a fight. Even his opponent, Woodley, benefits, Paul said.

"It's coming out of my pockets for sure," Paul told the Mirror. "Like, directly out of my purse. Everyone on the card is getting the biggest pay-day that they've ever had as a fighter and that's just part of my movement. Look, these fighters deserve more, and I want everyone to be excited, and I want everyone to know that we as fighters should take care of each other."

In addition to the Paul-Woodley bout, other fights on Sunday included Amanda Serrano vs. Yamileth Mercado, Ivan Baranchyk vs. Montana Love, Daniel Dubois vs. Joe Cusumano and Tommy Fury vs. Anthony Taylor.

But at least one of Sunday's fighters -- Tommy Fury, who is rumored to be Paul's next opponent -- said no money came out of Paul's pocket, and that the claim that it did is a gimmick.

"Jake Paul's own money, you must be joking," Fury told the UK Mirror. "He's not paid anyone out of his pocket, he's trying to be the Good Samaritan; making foundations and charities, and putting other fighters in co-main events."

Showtime wouldn't confirm how much Paul and Woodley earned for the fight. One website, Sporting Free, estimates that Paul was guaranteed $1 million and doubled that with his share of the pay-per-view money. Woodley, the site claims, earned half of that -- $500,000 for the fight and then doubled that to $1 million after pay-per-view money is counted.

Paul fought Ben Askren earlier in 2021. MMA Fighting reported that Paul earned $690,000 for that fight to Askren's $500,000.

Paul has criticized UFC President Dana White for not paying his fighters enough. And apparently Paul believes training partners should also be well paid. Anthony Taylor, who lost to Tommy Fury Sunday night, signed on as Paul's training partner for the Woodley fight and raked in the cash.

"I'm getting paid more money as Jake's training partner in two months than I made in my whole entire MMA career in six years," Taylor said in an interview. "I swear to God, I made more money with Jake in two months than my whole MMA career."

The money won't end there. Paul recently signed a multi-fight deal with Showtime, so as long as he's willing to take the hits, the cash will continue to flow.