Fame does strange things to people.
Money does even stranger ones.

In combat sports, where violence and ego often go hand in hand, sudden wealth can warp identities overnight. Fighters go from grinding in obscurity to making millions in a single night. Mansions, supercars, entourages—it’s the expected arc.

But not everyone follows it.

Some of the richest fighters in UFC history still live like the people they grew up around. They shop at regular grocery stores. They coach kids for free. They mow their own lawns, drive practical cars, and eat home-cooked meals.

Not because they have to.
Because they choose to.

Khabib Nurmagomedov: Wealth Without Excess

“I try to control myself,” Khabib Nurmagomedov once said.
“Everything that comes to me is from God.”

When Khabib retired undefeated at 29–0, with more than $40 million earned from fighting and business ventures, the world expected indulgence. Instead, he went home.

The former lightweight champion still lives in a modest four-bedroom house in the remote Dagestani village of Sildi. Neighbors describe it plainly: “Just like ours—only a little bigger.” No gates. No infinity pools. Just traditional Avar architecture, wooden beams, prayer rugs in every room, and a garden where his family grows herbs and vegetables.

During his UFC career, Khabib earned roughly $22.9 million in disclosed purses, with his 2018 fight against Conor McGregor reportedly bringing in over $10 million once pay-per-view points were included. After retiring in 2020, he launched Eagle Fighting Championship, generating an estimated $5–7 million annually, along with seven-figure endorsement deals.

None of it changed his routine.

At 37, his days still begin before sunrise with Fajr prayer, followed by a simple breakfast—oats, eggs, black tea—prepared by his wife. By 7 a.m., he’s at the gym rolling with fighters half his age, taping hands, cleaning cuts, and eating lunch cross-legged on the mats.

He drives a Toyota Land Cruiser for mountain roads and a Hyundai Tucson for family errands. He’s been spotted on public buses in Moscow and biking to local markets in Dagestan.

Since retirement, Khabib has quietly invested over $10 million into youth programs, building schools that teach both MMA and literacy. He often shows up unannounced to spar with kids himself.

Forty million dollars.
Same life.

Georges St-Pierre: Quiet Wealth, Quiet Mind

Georges St-Pierre could live anywhere on earth.

Instead, he lives in a two-story red brick bungalow in Montreal.

Purchased for under $1 million in the early 2010s, GSP’s home sits on a street where neighbors wave from identical driveways and nobody blinks when he jogs past. Inside is a functional kitchen, a modest home gym, and a backyard deck for small barbecues.

As of 2025, GSP’s net worth is estimated between $20 and $30 million. Over $15 million came from UFC purses alone, including a massive payday from his 2017 middleweight title win over Michael Bisping. Post-retirement, he added acting roles, a bestselling memoir, and high-demand speaking engagements.

Yet his days remain remarkably ordinary.

Morning meditation. Yoga. Grocery shopping at the local Metro. He drives an Audi Q5 hybrid for city commutes and a pickup truck for weekend hikes. He coaches amateur wrestlers at community centers, often funding at-risk youth programs anonymously.

“It’s not healthy to carry grudges,” GSP once said.
“It feels good in the moment, but it poisons you.”

He’s donated more than $5 million to anti-bullying and mental health initiatives since 2020. In the evenings, he unwinds with documentaries on ancient history or tinkers with jiu-jitsu drills—his dinosaur fossil collection tucked away in a spare room, not a museum.

Thirty million dollars.
Same street.

Daniel Cormier: Champion, Coach, Dad

Daniel Cormier’s life doesn’t look like a highlight reel.

It looks like a minivan schedule.

The former two-division UFC champion is worth roughly $6–7 million as of late 2025. His UFC career generated over $12 million in disclosed purses, followed by a lucrative ESPN analyst role.

He lives in a five-bedroom ranch home in San Jose’s Willow Glen neighborhood, purchased in 2016 for $1.2 million. No theater room. No marble fountains. Just a backyard playset and worn grass.

Neighbors regularly see him mowing the lawn in cargo shorts. He drives a Ford F-150 and a Honda Odyssey. His mornings start with black coffee, a jog around the block, and school drop-offs.

Since 2023, DC has volunteered as head wrestling coach at Gilroy High School—earning nothing but high-fives. Through the DC House charity, he’s donated over $2 million to youth programs.

“What we do is fleeting,” Cormier says.
“Legacy is what lasts.”

Seven million dollars.
Still showing up.

Dustin Poirier: The Diamond Who Stayed Home

Dustin Poirier retired in July 2025 with a $6–10 million fortune and one of the most beloved careers in UFC history.

Much of that came from his trilogy with Conor McGregor, which alone earned him around $10 million. Add endorsements, and his post-retirement hot sauce brand—now doing $3 million annually—and Poirier could live lavishly.

Instead, he lives in a $750,000 craftsman home in Lafayette, Louisiana.

He braids his daughter’s hair every morning. Drinks black coffee. Eats oatmeal with his own hot sauce. Volunteers at the gym. Drives a Chevy Silverado and a hybrid RAV4.

“I don’t know why fans care so much about fighters’ money,” Poirier said.
“Just watch the fight.”

His Good Fight Foundation has distributed over $4 million to Louisiana communities, including toy drives that gifted 500 bikes to foster kids.

Ten million dollars.
Same porch.

Nate Diaz: Never Left Stockton

Nate Diaz didn’t change because money never mattered to him.

With an $8 million net worth, Diaz still lives in a chain-link-fenced house in Stockton. Same neighborhood. Same energy. Same morning walks in beat-up Vans.

He drives a dented Ford F-150 and an old Honda Civic. Eats street food. Trains kids for almost nothing at his academy, charging sliding-scale fees and covering the rest himself.

The Diaz Brothers Foundation has put over $1.5 million into Stockton youth programs.

Eight million dollars.
Same streets.

Stipe Miocic: Firefighter First

Even after becoming UFC heavyweight champion, Stipe Miocic kept clocking into the fire station.

Worth roughly $8–10 million, Miocic still works 24-hour shifts as a lieutenant paramedic in Ohio—for $75,000 a year. He lives in a modest colonial home, drives a Chevy Tahoe, and shops at farmers markets.

Through Stipe’s Shields, he’s equipped dozens of firehouses with AEDs.

Ten million dollars.
Still punching the clock.

Frankie Edgar, Demetrious Johnson, Charles Oliveira…

Different divisions.
Same theme.

Frankie Edgar carpools his kids and substitute teaches at his old high school.
Demetrious Johnson streams video games from a budget home office and shops at regular supermarkets.
Charles Oliveira, once homeless, still eats street food on seawalls and coaches kids for free in Brazil.

None of them forgot who they were.