Before Conor McGregor revolutionized UFC paydays, Brock Lesnar was the big money name in the promotion. And among the few that cashed in on that opportunity, was Cain Velasquez. The American Kickboxing Academy star fought big names like Lesnar, Junior dos Santos, Fabricio Werdum, and Francis Ngannou. Needless to say, he’s made some serious bank, too.

‘Cardio Cain’ even became the champion of the division twice, and has 2 successful title defenses during his tenure. But after losing his battle against Francis Ngannou back in 2019, the Mexican-American fighter called it quits and left the MMA cage to keep his focus on WWE. Although he is embroiled in legal issues now, he has seen better days, including some lucrative paydays. Let’s take a closer look at how financially secure his legendary career left him.

Cain Velasquez’s net worth and endorsements

According to various sources like Celebrity Net Worth, Velasquez has a net worth of around $4 million. His disclosed career earnings amount to $2,164,000. Although he has retired from the MMA realm, he still has a chance to earn. Of course, it won’t be as a fighter. Instead, Velasquez was expected to take up a managerial role for Global Fight League. The Californian will likely serve as a team manager along with Javier Mendez, the AKA head coach.

During his prime, ‘Cardio Cain’ got himself sponsored by several brands. These included LUGZ, Wild Wings, MicroTech, Oak Grove Tech, Metro PCS, Milwaukee Tool, BSN, and Affliction clothing. We know that because Velasquez seldom took a step back from thanking his sponsors. And that’s exactly what he did when he took to X back in December 2012. What did he tweet? He simply thanked them and tagged them all in the tweet.

Velasquez also secured a deal worth around $100K to $500K with GM Titanium. The deal mandated the then-31-year-old to appear at events and promote the product on social media. Weighing in on the deal, the former champion said, “In the ring, as with everything in my life, I strive to be the best and to do so on my own terms. I am honored to team up with GM Titanium, a product that is truly breaking the status quo to create a spirit unparalleled in smoothness and taste.”

But what was Cain Velasquez’s career in the UFC like? Was he able to make a million dollars in a single fight like many other celebrated champions? Let’s take a look at the former 2-time heavyweight champion’s UFC career and see how much money the MMA promotion paid him for his performance. 

Cain Velasquez’s UFC career and payouts

The 42-year-old heavyweight began his MMA career with Strikeforce in 2006. Soon, he landed in the Ultimate Fighting Championship at UFC 83 in 2008. Velasquez immediately became a star attraction in the heavyweight division as he went on an 8-fight undefeated streak. In his bout against Ben Rothwell at UFC 104, Velasquez apparently earned $70K for showing up and another $35K as a win bonus. In 2010, the heavyweight star defeated Brock Lesnar and became the heavyweight champion. However, he lost the belt when he fought Junior dos Santos at UFC on FOX 1. But that didn’t mean that he was going down for good. He battled Antonio Silva in his next bout at UFC 146 and earned his way back to a title shot. He got $200K for showing up for the fight and another $100K as a win bonus. 

And then, at UFC 155, Velasquez got the chance for a rematch against dos Santos. And it was indeed a fight for the belt. With his eyes on the target, Velasquez defeated dos Santos and became a champion for the second time. This time as well, he earned $200K for showing up, and another $100K for winning the bout. He went on to defend the heavyweight belt twice before losing it to Fabricio Werdum. However, Velasquez’s biggest payday came when he fought Francis Ngannou in 2019. Even though Ngannou knocked him out within 26 seconds into the fight, Velasquez earned a flat $450K paycheck. 

That was indeed the last time we saw the former 2-time heavyweight champion in the Octagon. He officially retired from MMA following the 2019 loss, aiming to keep his focus on WWE. Unfortunately, Velasquez got himself into some troubled situations as he engaged in a high-speed pursuit and gunfire in 2022. After spending 8 months in jail, Velasquez got out on bail after paying $1M, was tagged with an ankle monitor, and kept under house arrest. On March 24, 2025, he was sentenced to 5 years of imprisonment for his demeanor. Now, he has about 18 months left to serve. 

What are your thoughts on the former heavyweight champion’s UFC salary? Do you think he could have earned even more had he not found himself in legal trouble? Let us know what you think in the comments down below.