Alexandre Pantoja‘s journey to flyweight greatness is something that Hollywood can make a movie out of. The flyweight champion has been competing in the UFC since 2017, after first appearing on The Ultimate Fighter: Tournament of Champions. It took 13 promotional fights and six years for ‘The Cannibal’ to realize UFC gold and despite an impressive UFC record of 12-3, Pantoja’s journey was marred by financial struggles. Such was his monetary woes that he found himself in a day job as an Uber Eats delivery person, just two fights before his high-profile flyweight title showdown against the fan-favorite Brandon Moreno.

Struggling through his childhood as a result of his father abandoning him, his mother, and two siblings, every appearance in the UFC’s Octagon was a fight to ensure his family’s survival. Today, atop the flyweight division, Alexandre Pantoja is in a much better place financially. But how much is the 28-5 flyweight champion worth? Let’s find out.

How much is Alexandre Pantoja’s net worth in 2024? Sponsors and Endorsements

The Brazilian is only one of the three flyweight champions to have more than one title defense in the promotion’s lightest weight class. As of 2024, his net worth rose to an estimation of a whopping $1 million. While there’s not enough information available about the brands that sponsor ‘The Cannibal’, we can safely assume that he has sponsors because of his status as a UFC champion. And one of those brands is, of course, Venum, the official apparel partner of the UFC. 

Things were pretty tough for Pantoja during the COVID-19 pandemic. He was forced to spend 8 months away from his family, amid a severe shortage of money. However, the weight of his responsibilities started shrinking when he won his fight against Manel Kape, where he used the prize money for his house’s down payment. Back in July 2023, the Brazilian fighter revealed, “When my family came back, the money [was] short, you know? My wife [started] to clean houses and I [started] to drive Uber. [I’d] do this again if I need, you know? Because it’s not just about myself, this is about my family.”

Even after becoming a champion in the UFC, Pantoja had to face the harsh reality of low fighter pay. Just one week prior to his first title defense against Brandon Royval at UFC 296, ‘The Cannibal’ was still delivering food. He continued, “I [drove] Uber, I did some Jiu-Jitsu tournaments to help, and after the fight with [Brandon] Royval, one week before that fight, I’m delivering Uber Eats.”

Needless to say, things have taken a turn for the better after Pantoja successfully defended his championship title twice. After all, his salary witnessed a hike after he became a champ. So, how much does he earn out of a single fight in the Octagon? Let’s find out.

How much does ‘The Cannibal’ make? UFC salary and payout

‘The Cannibal’ began his UFC career back in 2017 with a base salary of $15,000. Putting in a win bonus of another $15,000 and $4,000 in brand endorsements, Pantoja began his UFC career with a payout of $34,000. Fighting Brandon Moreno for the first time in 2018 saw his first-ever hike as his salary increased to $18,000. It was at UFC 240 when Pantoja took on Deiveson Figueiredo that he received a base salary of $30,000. 

But the scenes have completely changed as Pantoja got a shot at the title. UFC 290 was the event where the Brazilian received a base salary of $200,000, along with a win bonus of the same amount. With $50,000 worth of performance bonus and $32,000 from brand sponsorships, he took home a sum of $482,000 from his fight with Brandon Moreno. Pantoja’s salary kept increasing by $100,000 in the next two fights In his last fight against Brandon Royval at UFC 296, ‘The Cannibal’ earned $300,000 as his base pay, and took home $957,000 including his win bonus, PPV earnings, and sponsorships, making his total payout well above a million. 

Now, ‘The Cannibal’ is set to defend his flyweight belt for the third time at UFC 310. Fighting Kai Asakura, Pantoja is expected to take home at least $400,000 as his base pay. With the addition of the PPV payouts, sponsorships, and a possible win bonus, we can expect him to earn somewhere around $1,000,000. The numbers can go higher if he wins a performance bonus. Alexandre Pantoja’s days of being broke days are definitely behind him.

Pantoja’s is a story that highlights the struggles of a UFC fighter, marked by a determination to fight his circumstances and provide a better life for his family. What do you think of Alexandre Pantoja’s rise to the UFC flyweight championship? Let us know your thoughts in the comments down below.