Nate Diaz Once Thought $15,000 Made Him Rich

Urijah Faber recounted on the Double Coverage Podcast how the UFC fighter viewed his early payday before his later career earnings.

Updated on Nov. 8, 2026 in Mixed Martial Arts

Nate Diaz Once Thought $15,000 Made Him Rich

Urijah Faber revealed on the Double Coverage Podcast that Nate Diaz once considered $15,000 a fortune, a payment Dana White gave him after he won The Ultimate Fighter. Diaz has since amassed a net worth of approximately $10 million from his fighting career.

Why it matters

The account shows how far Diaz's earnings have grown from his early days in the sport, a trajectory that reflects the financial shift in mixed martial arts over the past decade. It also highlights the gap between entry-level fighter pay and the top-tier compensation available to established UFC names.

Diaz has 16 UFC post-fight bonus awards and reportedly earned $2 million plus $50,000 in bonuses for his UFC 202 rematch with Conor McGregor, which paid roughly $13 million including pay-per-view revenue.

The players

Nate Diaz

A veteran mixed martial artist known for his long UFC run, his 2016 upset of Conor McGregor, and his multiple post-fight bonuses.

Urijah Faber

A former UFC bantamweight contender and longtime fighter who now hosts the Double Coverage Podcast.

Dana White

The UFC president who handed Diaz the $15,000 check after he won The Ultimate Fighter.

Conor McGregor

A former UFC double champion whose two fights with Diaz, at UFC 196 and UFC 202, are among the most notable in the promotion's recent history.

The details

Faber said Diaz told him that he and his brother lived with their mom growing up and never had to pay for anything, so the $15,000 check felt substantial. Diaz later went to a friend's car dealership and picked out an expensive vehicle with that money.

2012: Diaz challenged for the UFC Lightweight Championship.
2016: Diaz fought and stunned Conor McGregor at UFC 196.
2016: Diaz and McGregor fought in the UFC 202 rematch, five months later.
2022: Diaz left the UFC and turned to boxing.
May 2026: Diaz returned to professional MMA, facing Mike Perry.

Season Trajectory

Diaz's path from a $15,000 Ultimate Fighter payday to a fighter who beat McGregor at UFC 196 illustrates how pay in the sport has climbed for established names. The shift mirrors the broader rise in fighter compensation that has accompanied the UFC's growth on pay-per-view and new media platforms.

For fantasy and betting audiences tracking Diaz, his May 2026 return to professional MMA against Mike Perry is the most recent fight on his schedule. The earnings history shows why top fighters command large paydays when booked against marquee opponents.

The takeaway

Fighter earnings can change dramatically over a career, and the gap between early payments and later purses is wide. Readers following fighter finances can track the bonus and contract disclosures that shape those figures.