Quinton “Rampage” Jackson dropped a stark comparison during a recent livestream that’s reignited conversations about fighter pay. The former UFC light heavyweight champion claims he’s made more money from his last eight months of streaming than he earned during any comparable eight-month stretch of his 25-year MMA career.
Jackson put a specific number on his streaming income. He says he’s pulling in around $40,000 per month from streaming alone, not counting additional sponsorship deals tied to his content.
The comparison becomes more striking when you look at Jackson’s fighting career earnings. He reportedly made a $7m payday for his 2007 fight against Chuck Liddell. Various reports suggest his total UFC earnings ranged from $15m to $18m across his entire run with the promotion. He later signed with Bellator for deals reportedly worth $200,000 to $450,000 per fight.
A $480,000 annual income from streaming—if Jackson’s $40,000 monthly figure holds steady—would put him ahead of many active UFC fighters. More importantly, he’s earning it without the physical damage, training camps, or irregular payment schedule that defined his fighting career.
Jackson’s streaming content mainly consists of IRL broadcasts. He walks around, talks to people, and interacts directly with his chat. His naturally funny personality and willingness to engage with viewers has helped him build a solid audience. Many of his clips go viral on TikTok and YouTube Shorts, reaching numbers that rival or exceed the viewership of some of his actual fights.
His success as a streamer didn’t come from nowhere. Jackson built his brand over decades in PRIDE Fighting Championships and the UFC. He became champion in 2007 by knocking out Chuck Liddell. He appeared as a coach on The Ultimate Fighter reality show multiple times, boosting his mainstream recognition far beyond typical fighters.
That existing fanbase gave him an immediate audience when he started streaming. But he’s also benefited from being an early mover among MMA fighters in taking streaming seriously as a full-time income source rather than a side project.
The numbers tell a story
Jackson’s comments land in the middle of ongoing debates about UFC fighter compensation. The promotion has faced antitrust lawsuits from former fighters alleging the UFC uses its market dominance to suppress pay. While top champions can make millions per fight through pay-per-view points, most fighters on the roster work with base contracts that start as low as $10,000 to show and $10,000 to win.
The UFC’s shift to exclusive uniform deals with Reebok and later Venum also eliminated a major income stream for fighters. In Jackson’s prime years, fighters could wear their own sponsor logos and often made substantial side money from apparel and equipment deals. That revenue source largely disappeared under the uniform system.
