How Much Do Grappling Athletes Make?

More people than ever are getting into grappling martial arts and want to make a living off of competing. This leads many to look up how much grappling athletes make in each sport.

Here’s a breakdown of how much each athlete makes within the biggest grappling sports.

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu

BJJ is a growing martial art, but prize money in professional competitions remains modest compared to mainstream sports. Top grappling athletes in Jiu-Jitsu supplement their income through everything from competing, sponsorships, seminars, instructional content, and gym ownership.

Prize Money at Major BJJ/Jiu-Jitsu Events

Of all of the grappling athletes, the top Jiu-Jitsu athletes have the most options when it comes to making money off of competing. However, the payouts are still relatively small across the sport. Here are some of the biggest events where they can make money.

IBJJF World Championships: These are considered the pinnacle of BJJ (gi). Prize money is relatively low, with top athletes earning $4,000–$10,000 for winning a black belt division, which depends on how many people are in the division.

ADCC World Championships: The Abu Dhabi Combat Club (ADCC) is the most prestigious no-gi competition and offers higher payouts. First-place winners in weight classes typically earn $10,000. The winner of the super fight earns $40k, and the loser earns $10k.

UAEJJF Abu Dhabi World Pro: This event offers significant prize money, with a total purse of $474,000 across all belts in 2016. Black belt champions in weight classes earned $8,000, while top-ranked athletes like Tayane Porfirio earned $26,000 for winning both the open-weight and +70kg divisions.

CJI: Last year, CJI came on the scene to offer No-Gi grappling athletes some of the biggest purses in the sport. They paid out $1 million to their two tournament winners, while paying each athlete $10,001 to compete. At CJI 2, each competitor will receive $10,002.

Super Fight Events: Grappling athletes in Jiu-Jitsu can compete in various super fight events across the world. Organizations such as WNO, Fight To Win, BJJ Stars, Karate Combat, Polaris, and Submission Hunters all pay athletes to compete at their events.

Judo

Judo is an Olympic sport with a global competitive circuit. It is the biggest of all of the sports listed, but prize money for grappling athletes in Judo is limited compared to combat sports like boxing or MMA. Top judokas rely heavily on sponsorships, government stipends, and club salaries.

Major Events in Judo

Since the International Judo Federation(IJF) controls the sport of Judo, the grappling athletes within the sport must either compete in IJF events or the Olympic Games to make money.

IJF World Championships: Prize money is modest. Top judokas may earn $5,000–$15,000 for winning their weight class, but exact figures are not widely publicized. National federations or sponsors often supplement these earnings.

Olympic Games: Olympic medals can yield significant bonuses from national governments. For example, in Brazil, the Bolsa Atleta Program provides ~$3,000/month for Olympic medalists, while top athletes like Teddy Riner earn additional bonuses from his club and sponsors, which net him over six figures.

Other IJF Events: Regional and national championships offer smaller prizes, often $1,000–$3,000 in countries like Brazil, Japan, and various countries in Europe. High-profile events like the Paris Grand Slam may offer slightly higher payouts for grappling athletes in Judo.

Wrestling

Wrestling (freestyle and Greco-Roman) is an Olympic sport with a strong competitive scene, particularly in the U.S., Russia, and Iran. Prize money is modest, but top grappling athletes in wrestling benefit from sponsorships, national programs, and coaching roles.

Major Wrestling Events

UWW World Championships: United World Wrestling (UWW) offers prize money for top placers. Gold medalists typically earn $5,000–$10,000 per weight class, with additional bonuses from national federations. For example, Russian and Iranian wrestlers may receive government bonuses of $10,000–$50,000 for world titles.

Olympic Games: Olympic gold medalists can earn significant bonuses from their countries. For instance, U.S. wrestlers receive $25,000–$50,000 from the U.S. Olympic Committee for a gold medal, while countries like Russia or Iran may offer $50,000–$100,000.

Other Events: Regional tournaments and national championships offer smaller prizes, typically $1,000–$5,000 for winners. FloWrestling is also starting to host events, and Hulk Hogan’s Real American Freestyle(RAF) is debuting next month.

Sambo

Sambo, developed in the Soviet Union, has a smaller global presence than BJJ, Judo, or wrestling. Prize money is limited, and top grappling athletes in Sambo often rely on government support (especially in Russia). Most top Sambo athletes use the sport as an entry into a career in MMA 

Major Sambo Events

The major Sambo events are still generally held within Russia and Eastern Europe. Here’s an estimated pay structure for those events.

World Sambo Championships (FIAS): Prize money is minimal, typically $1,000–$5,000 for gold medalists in sport or combat Sambo. National federations, particularly in Russia, may provide additional bonuses ($5,000–$20,000 for champions).

Other Events: Regional tournaments like the Sambo World Cup or national championships offer smaller prizes, often $500–$2,000 for winners. Combat Sambo events may offer slightly higher purses due to their similarity to MMA.

Wrap Up 

Across all of the sports listed, grappling athletes generally make low to modest earnings within their respective sports. However, they can earn a decent wage from other streams of revenue, such as sponsorships, seminars, coaching, and owning a gym.