“I’ve made more money from sponsors in eight months than all the sponsors I made from my fight in like 20, 25 years,” ex-UFC star Rampage Jackson once quipped. Now Arman Tsarukyan shares that sentiment, as he lifts the curtain on a gig far more lucrative than the UFC.
Ever since the UFC sidelined its top lightweight contender, Tsarukyan has refused to let the title snub define him; instead, he exposed UFC to the public eye with his dominant run in the RAF. However, it seems that in the process, Tsarukyan has landed on a gold mine far from the Octagon, just like Jackson.
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Arman Tsarukyan doubles down on Rampage Jackson’s claims on UFC earnings
Arman Tsarukyan recently joined Adin Ross’s Kick livestream, which turned out to be a cash cow for the Armenian. That was surely the highlight of his day, despite having aced a technical fall against Lance Palmer, which put Dana White’s snub in check. Indeed, bagging $40K in less than an hour, Tsarukyan was sure to note how streaming edged out UFC’s pay.
Speaking to The Schmo, Tsarukyan offered a glimpse into the streaming money Ross crossover brought him: “Yesterday I made 40k for one minute, but just slam a couple fat guys,” underscoring the contrast between the effortless monetary opportunities of live appearances and the grind of UFC fight contracts.
Indeed, Arman Tsarukyan found himself in unexpected challenges from Adin Ross with a price tag hanging at the end. That was enough initiative for the UFC lightweight menace to storm through the biggest roadblocks Ross had planned for him. First, he took Ross’s 280-pound friend Sweater for a 1-minute takedown attempt.
Even before Tsarukyan had stepped inside the mats and had the opportunity to assess Sweater’s grappling skills, the UFC star beamed with confidence, quipping, “This guy cannot even walk, bro. It’s my easiest 15K in my life.” As expected, the $15,000 on the line was one of the quickest paychecks Tsarukyan has earned.
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Following it up with a wrestling bout against MMA Guru for $20,000, Tsarukyan once again proved his exceptional wrestling pedigree and exactly what makes him one of the UFC’s best. While MMA Guru succeeded in getting a single leg, he failed to finish it before the buzzer went off, with Tsarukyan securing another $20K. Finishing the evening with a ping-pong round with Adin Ross himself, Tsarukyan bagged another $5K wager.
Undoubtedly, last evening turned out to be one of Tsarukyan’s most successful financial outings. However, this is merely a standalone occurrence for the Armenian, with the reality of UFC paydays being far murkier, even for the sport’s biggest names.
Arman Tsarukyan fights at a loss in the UFC
Securing a contract is just the beginning of a sustainable MMA career, rather than the end of the saga. In fact, with a million other expenses clogging the financial pipeline, a UFC career is not your typical rags-to-riches story. Arman Tsarukyan, who is the current No. 1 contender in the LW division, stands as a victim of this system himself.
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Sharing the details on his YouTube channel, Tsarukyan exclaimed, “You prepare for two to three months and end up at zero.” While a potential bonus can flip the picture, that’s not always the case, as he added, “In general, you’re kind of fighting at a loss most of the time. Sponsorships, that’s how you actually make money.”
As the fighter noted, a loss results in only half the paycheck that UFC gives to the winner. Despite that, taxes are a non-negotiable, coming in at 30%. Further expenses of 5% to the Gym, 5% to the coach, and 15% to the manager further eat up the check. As it comes down, the endorsement deals seem to be the only way to earn some significant money from the fights, contrary to the MMA dream most believe.
In echoing Rampage Jackson’s long-standing critique, Tsarukyan’s viral streaming payday once again exposes the widening gap between the brutal economics of elite MMA and the effortless financial upside fighters can now find outside the Octagon.
The post Arman Tsarukyan Echoes Rampage Jackson’s UFC Pay Claim After Revealing Purse From Adin Ross’ Stream appeared first on EssentiallySports.
