Social media is a great way for fans to interact with their favorite fighters. The ability to get a peek into the lives of our favorite athletes makes apps like Instagram a huge draw. Many fighters supplement their income through sponsored posts on Instagram which can net them 5 to 6 figures annually.
How much are fighters making posting on Instagram?
It varies really based on a number of factors. Quoting an article from mic.com:
In general, experts estimate the average is $1,000 per 100,000 followers, or one cent per follower, according to Later; but the cost an influencer can command depends on a variety of factors. “The variables for rates to consider for an influencer include quality of content from the influencer, an influencer’s following on their blog and social channels, an influencer’s engagement metrics, the number of deliverables, the allotted time frame and the agreed upon usage rights,” Hajjar said. For example, an influencer may be able to negotiate an increased rate if they agree to exclusivity (not working with a brand’s competitors) or a deal that allows the brand to use their images and content in other avenues, like TV commercials or billboards, Hajjar noted.
Who are the most followed male UFC fighters on Instagram?
The top two most followed fighters on Instagram are way ahead of the rest of the pack and you’ve probably guessed who those are already: Conor McGregor and Khabib Nurmagomedov. Conor has a whopping 38.3 million followers (as of January 2021) that enjoy watching his lavish lifestyle and tracking his training regimen.
Khabib’s post are more down to earth – usually showing him hanging out with friends, traveling, or working out. He is still the most followed Russian athlete on Instagram with 26.7 million
The next closest male UFC fighters in terms of followers are not even in the same stratosphere as Khabib and Conor. Jon Jones, Nate Diaz and Israel Adesanya have 5.5 million, 4.6 million and 4.1 million respectively.
Who are the most followed female UFC fighters on Instagram?
The most followed active female fighter in MMA is Paige VanZant who is currently fighting for the Bare Knuckle Boxing organization. VanZant has publicly stated in the past that she was making significantly more money posting on Instagram than in the UFC (source). Holly Holm is the most followed female fighter on the active UFC roster with 2.2 million followers. Ronda Rousey who is currently retired from mixed martial arts competition is the most followed fighter all time with 13.2 million.
| Name | Instagram Followers (as of Jan 2021) | |
|---|---|---|
| Ronda Rousey | 13,200,000 | rondarousey |
| Paige VanZant | 2,700,000 | paigevanzant |
| Holly Holm | 2,200,000 | hollyholm |
| Joanna Jedrzejczyk | 1,800,000 | joannajedrzejczyk |
| Rose Namajunas | 1,600,000 | rosenamajunas |
| Meisha Tate | 1,200,000 | amanda_leoa |
| Cris Cyborg | 1,200,000 | criscyborg |
| Claudia Gadelha | 969,000 | claudiagadelha |
| Mackenzie Dern | 870,000 | mackenziedern |
| Valerie Loureda | 710,000 | valerieloureda |
| Amanda Ribas | 649,000 | amandaufcribas |
| Zhang Weili | 582,000 | zhangweilimma |
