As UFC 302 gets ever closer, all eyes are on one fight – the most anticipated bout of the event: Islam Makhachev versus Dustin Poirier. ‘The Diamond’ will try to snatch the championship belt for one final time, and Makhachev will defend his title for the third time. With a single loss in his MMA career, Makhachev is looking to claim victory and extend his winning streak. On the other hand, ‘The Diamond’ is looking to end his fighting career on a high. The anticipation for the fight is justified, but have you wondered how much money the fighters will pocket?

Being a champion sure comes with perks. One of those is always featuring in the main event to defend one’s title. And with that comes a hefty paycheck. Without a doubt, the current UFC lightweight champion will pocket a huge sum from his next battle at UFC 302. As per the reports, the Dagestani mixed martial artist is set to get $1 million just to show up for the fight.

Apart from the guaranteed cash, he is also expected to earn about $42,000 from sponsorships and endorsements. But that’s not all. If Islam Makhachev successfully defends his title against Poirier, he will receive a bonus, expected to be around $100,000, taking his total sum to $1.142 million. However, if he fails to do so, he will still get a payout of $1.042 million. And that excludes the PPV payout. Makhachev can be expected to take away somewhere around $2 million.

Dustin Poirier, undeniably, will not get the amount that the lightweight champion will receive. However, he is not too far behind in the payouts. As per reports, Poirier is expected to get $932,000 just to show up for the fight. His guaranteed payout is expected to be around $800,000, and brand endorsements will sum up to $32,000. 

Needless to say, the Cajun mixed martial artist has the chance to turn his paycheck into a bit more than a million dollars with a win bonus of $100 thousand. Adding the PPV paycheck to that, Poirier has the chance to earn a sum that can go beyond $1.5 million. Back in March, when the fight between Makhachev and Poirier was yet to be declared, Daniel Cormier had asked Dana White to book the fight.

The former heavyweight champion claimed that it would be a massive fight. But for Makhachev, it would be the highest payday ever. DC said, “It really will be the biggest fight that Islam Makhachev has ever had in terms of the box office.” Now, it seems like Cormier wasn’t wrong as Islam Makhachev won the battle against the former interim champion to record his 14th consecutive victory and pocketed one of his biggest fight purses to date. 

Update: Islam Makhachev successfully defended his title for the 3rd time

UFC 302 is finally over, and Islam Makhachev scripted one of the most fabulous performances at the Prudential Center in Newark on June 1 to successfully defend his lightweight title for the third time, equalling the record of his mentor Khabib Nurmagomedov. It was the 32-year-old’s 14th consecutive victory in the promotion as he scored a fifth-round submission against Dustin Poirier. It was a cut-throat competition all through the five rounds as, in several moments, ‘The Diamond’ took control of the octagon.

However, the Dagestani legend ensured a successful run via a D’Arce choke in the fifth and final round. Along with retaining his lightweight title, the 32-year-old also won two bonuses, namely Fight of the Night and Performance of the Night, to take home an additional $100,000. Despite ending up on the losing side, Poirier was also successful in increasing his purse by $50,000 for winning the Fight of the Night bonus.

The two fighters will also take home a share of the PPV sales, and the amount has yet to be disclosed. It is expected to be a big amount as UFC 302 is believed to have put up the highest gate for a UFC event in Newark with over $7 million. What do you think will be the final payout for Islam Makhachev and Dustin Poirier for UFC 302? Drop your prediction in the comments below.