WEC 48 Payouts: Aldo Earns $40,000

Jose Aldo is not just king of the WEC’s featherweight hill; he was also the promotion’s highest base-salary earner at WEC 48 “Aldo vs. Faber,” according to figures released Wednesday by the California State Athletic Commission.

The 24-year-old Brazilian took home $40,000 for his punishing unanimous decision over former champion and hometown favorite Urijah Faber, who earned $28,000 in disclosed pay.

The WEC’s first pay-per-view event drew 12,555 fans to Sacramento’s Arco Arena for a gross gate of $792,640, said the CSAC. Zuffa’s disclosed payroll for the event, including its popular performance bonuses, was $596,500.

In the evening’s main attraction, WEC lightweight champion Benson Henderson quickly nullified rival Donald Cerrone with a guillotine choke two minutes into their rematch, netting the versatile Arizona fighter a $26,000 payday. Henderson’s pot was also sweetened by a $65,000 “submission of the night” bonus doled out by the promotion, bringing his total to $91,000. Cerrone, now 0-2 against the champion, received $14,000.

Leonard Garcia and Chan Sung Jung also took home $65,000 bonuses each for their lauded three-round brawl, which aired live on a one-hour special on Spike TV prior to the pay-per-view. Manny Gamburyan, who achieved the upset of the night with a first-round technical knockout over former featherweight champion Mike Thomas Brown was the recipient of the $65,000 “knockout of the night” bonus, pushing his take-home to $101,000.

WEC 48 Payouts

Benson Henderson -- $91,000 (including $11,000 win bonus, $65,000 submission bonus)
def.
Donald Cerrone -- $14,000

Jose Aldo -- $40,000 (including $20,000 win bonus)
def.
Urijah Faber -- $28,000

Manny Gamburyan -- $101,000 (including $18,000 win bonus, $65,000 knockout bonus)
def.
Mike Thomas Brown-- $21,000

Shane Roller -- $28,000 (including $14,000 win bonus)
def.
Anthony Njokuani -- $7,000

Scott Jorgensen-- $21,000 (including $10,500 win bonus)
def.
Antonio Banuelos -- $7,000

Leonard Garcia -- $93,000 (including $14,000 win bonus, $65,000 FOTN bonus)
def.
Chan Sung Jung -- $70,000 (including $65,000 FOTN bonus)

Anthony Pettis -- $8,000 (including $4,000 win bonus)
def.
Alex Karalexis -- $10,000

Brad Pickett -- $8,000 (including $4,000 win bonus)
def.
Demetrious Johnson -- $3,000

Chad Mendes -- $8,500 (including $4,000 win bonus)
def.
Anthony Morrison -- $4,000

Takeya Mizugaki -- $16,000 (including $8,000 win bonus)
def.
Rani Yahya -- $9,000

Tyler Toner -- $5,000 (including $2,000 win bonus)
def.
Brandon Visher -- $4,000

Note: These numbers, sent to Sherdog.com by the California State Athletic Commission, are disclosed pay and bonuses only. They do not include additional bonuses or percentages of other revenue.