Brock Lesnar ($250000)
Brock Lesnar had a lot of hype behind him when he took up MMA, but he quickly became a legitimate superstar in the sport in a very short time. The former World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) wrestler was widely known for his aura and incredible hulk-like physique. The decorated college wrestler decided to try his hand at MMA and had a successful debut against Min Soo Kim. That fight, along with his fame and hype, led to a contract offer by the UFC. It wasn’t just any old offer; the UFC agreed to sign Lesnar for a base rate of $250,000. Although Lesnar lost his UFC debut against Frank Mir, he went on to become the UFC Heavyweight champion. His signing also helped lead to an increase of new MMA fans which shows the big money signing literally paid off for the UFC.
