Filed under: Strikeforce, News, Sports Business and Media
Last Saturday night’s Strikeforce: Melendez vs. Masvidal event at the San Diego Sports Arena drew only 2,995 fans and a gate of $154,075, according to information released by the California state athletic commission.
That total was far short of covering the payroll for the event, which was $580,000 in disclosed purses.
Topping the athlete salaries list were headliner Gilbert Melendez and Gegard Mousasi, each of whom made $150,000 for their bouts. Melendez retained the lightweight title in a unanimous decision win over Jorge Melendez, while Mousasi outworked Ovince St. Preux en route to a decision.
Women’s featherweight champion Cristiane “Cyborg” Santos pulled in a total of $66,000 in salary and bonus for her 16-second knockout of Hiroko Yamanaka, while KJ Noons collected $65,000 for defeating Billy Evangelista.
The complete list of salaries is as follows:
Herman Terrado $6,000 (includes $3,000 win bonus)
Chris Brown $3,000
Fernando Gonzalez $3,000
Eddie Mendez $6,000 (includes $3,000 win bonus)
Devin Cole $12,000 (Includes $6,000 win bonus)
Gabriel Salinas $3,000
Roger Bowling $14,000 (includes $7,000 win bonus)
Jerron Peoples $2,000
Justin Wilcox $ 12,000
Caros Fodor $20,000 (includes $10,000 win bonus)
KJ Noons $65,000 (includes $30,000 win bonus)
Billy Evangelista $20,000
Gegard Mousasi $150,000 (no win bonus)
Ovince St. Preux $17,000
Cris “Cyborg” Santos $66,000 (includes $33,000)
Hiroko Yamanaka $8,000
Gilbert Melendez $150,000 (no win bonus)
Jorge Masvidal $23,000
The California commission also noted that it tested eight fighters for drugs of abuse. Those athletes were Mousasi, St. Preux, Santos, Yamanaka, Cole, Salinas, Melendez and Masvidal. All tests came back clean.
Steroid test results for Masvidal, Melendez, Santos, Yamanka, St. Preux and Mousasi are not expected to be completed for two weeks.