Salary Exposed! UFC 310 Headliner Alexandre Pantoja’s Ridiculously Low Payout Compared to UFC Champions

Alexandre Pantoja’s journey to UFC glory is a testament to resilience and hard work. Just a few years ago, the Brazilian faced financial struggles while trying to bring his family to the United States, an endeavor he openly spoke about with remarkable candor.

Fast forward to today, and ‘The Cannibal’ has not only secured the flyweight title but also achieved two successful title defenses, cementing his status as one of the most dominant fighters in the division. However, one glaring issue persists—his payout remains significantly lower compared to other UFC champions. Let’s take a deeper look at the Brazilian’s remuneration and total payouts over the years.

Alexandre Pantoja’s UFC career earnings and payouts

Despite being a UFC fighter since 2017, Alexandre Pantoja’s financial struggles shocked many fans. Even with 15 fights under his belt, he found himself working as a delivery driver for Uber Eats two fights before he captured the 125lbs gold to make ends meet. This revelation led many fans to criticize UFC President Dana White, blaming him for the champion’s financial hardships.

Pantoja, however, has never pointed fingers or placed blame. Instead, he has openly shared his journey of resilience and sacrifice. Speaking with Ariel Helwani last year, ‘The Cannibal’ reflected on that challenging time in his life: “When my family was back, the money was short, and my wife started to clean houses, and I started to drive Uber. But I’d do this again if I need to. This is about my kids, my two boys.”

When it comes to Pantoja’s earnings, his payouts fall noticeably short compared to other UFC champions. According to MMA Salaries, Pantoja’s total recorded fight earnings amount to $3,690,000, with an estimated net worth of $3 million. Throughout his career, his base salaries have varied widely, with the lowest being $15,000 and the highest reaching $50,000.

Pantoja’s most significant payday came at UFC 301, where he earned an estimated $750,000 for his title defense against Steve Erceg. While this figure is respectable, it pales in comparison to the earnings of other champions like Sean O’Malley and Ilia Topuria, who command much higher payouts.

Panjota’s payouts in comparison to other prominent UFC champions

Alexandre Pantoja has solidified his position as a prominent name in the UFC, standing alongside champions like Sean O’Malley, Ilia Topuria, Islam Makhachev, Leon Edwards, and Jon Jones. However, his earnings still lag behind many of his peers, highlighting a noticeable pay gap. To better understand this disparity, let’s take a closer look at the payouts of other champions and high-profile fighters.

At UFC 306, Sean O’Malley and Merab Dvalishvili were among the top earners. UFC Noche, one of the year’s biggest events, took place at ‘The Sphere’ in Las Vegas, with Dana White reportedly spending over $20 million on the event. According to Bet MGM, O’Malley walked away with the biggest payday, securing a massive $3.2 million.

Similarly, at UFC 308, Ilia Topuria defeated Max Holloway, earning an estimated $3,992,000, while Holloway received $2,432,000. UFC 302 was another high-payout event, where Islam Makhachev not only secured the Performance of the Night and Fight of the Night bonuses, adding $100,000 to his earnings but also took home a significant payout. His opponent, Dustin Poirier, earned $1,282,000 despite the loss.

The consensus MMA GOAT Jon Jones further illustrates the earnings gap. At UFC 309, Jones defeated Stipe Miocic and captured an additional $50,000 performance bonus, bringing his total payout to an estimated $6,292,000, according to Bet MGM.

In comparison, Pantoja is expected to earn $2 million for his upcoming fight against Kai Asakura at UFC 310, as reported by NY Fights. While this payout represents a step up, it is still modest compared to the figures earned by fighters like those mentioned above.

The question remains: will this fight help redeem the lower payouts Pantoja has historically received? While the increased earnings are a positive sign, they may not fully address the pay disparities he has faced throughout his career, particularly given his standing as a reigning UFC champion. What are your views on the issue of fighter pay in the UFC? Tell us in the comment section below!