TJ Dillashaw revealed he earned just $18,000 to show for his first UFC title fight against Renan Barao at UFC 173 in May 2014. The former two-time UFC bantamweight champion was still on his original Ultimate Fighter contract when he challenged for the title.
Dillashaw shared the details during a recent appearance on the JAXXON podcast. He was six fights into a 10-fight contract signed after losing to John Dodson in The Ultimate Fighter 14 finale in 2011.
"I was fighting for a world title for $18,000. I got to rip that contract up," Dillashaw said. "You're on a 10-fight contract when you get on from The Ultimate Fighter. I was getting paid $18,000 to show and $18,000 to win."
Ultimate Fighter Contract Structure
Dillashaw explained the tiered pay structure for Ultimate Fighter contracts. Fighters start at $10,000 to show and $10,000 to win, then increase to $14,000 after three wins, and $18,000 after six wins.
"So, I was getting paid $18,000 to show and $18,000 to win against the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world," Dillashaw said. Barao was ranked as the number one pound-for-pound fighter in MMA at the time.
Dillashaw shocked the world by stopping Barao via TKO to win the bantamweight title. The victory transformed his career overnight.
Life-Changing Victory
"I shocked the world, and went from having like 10,000 or 20,000 followers to hundreds of thousands," Dillashaw said. "It just changed my life. Ultimately, yes, I got into the sport to become a champion, but also to feed my family and keep a roof over my head. I didn't want to get a real job."
The win allowed Dillashaw to renegotiate his contract and secure significantly better pay for future fights. He would go on to become a two-time UFC bantamweight champion before retiring in December 2022 due to a shoulder injury.
Dillashaw last fought at UFC 280 in October 2022, losing to Aljamain Sterling in a title fight. He attempted to compete through the shoulder injury but was stopped in the second round. The injury continues to cause him issues more than three years later.
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