On November 2, the UFC will land in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada for the first time since UFC 240 in 2019! The event is headlined by a flyweight clash between former flyweight champion Brandon Moreno and Amir Albazi. ‘The Prince’ and Moreno were scheduled to clash earlier this year but due to a serious neck injury suffered by Albazi, the fans have had to wait a while to see them finally throw down.

The event is also notable for being the first to be contested with the removal of the 12-6 elbow strikes, something Joe Rogan has been campaigning for a while, and also a change in rules for grounded opponents. But what about the purses for the two main event warriors? Let’s take a look at all we know about what they are set to make at UFC Edmonton/UFC Fight Night 246.

How much is Brandon Moreno getting paid at UFC Edmonton?

In his last outing at UFC Fight Night 237, Brandon Moreno took on Brandon Royval in a rematch of their UFC 255 clash from 2020. While the first fight went Moreno’s way as he walked away with a first-round TKO, the second fight although close, was edged out by Royval via a split decision. After the loss, Moreno confessed, “There are many things I haven’t done because I’m 100 percent focused on my training. I just want to rest a bit. This is by no means a goodbye. Just wait for me, have patience, let my body and my mind recover, and we’ll come back to do things well.”

Now, it looks like the ‘Assassin Baby’ is firing on all cylinders again as he gears up to take on ‘The Prince’ who has yet to face a loss in the UFC. So, how much is the former champion’s purse for this highly anticipated match-up?

According to information provided by MMASalaries.com, Brandon Moreno secured a $500,000 base salary for his UFC 290 clash against Alexandre Pantoja, where he unfortunately lost his featherweight crown. But with an estimated $600,000 PPV payout, a $50,000 Performance Bonus, and $42,000 in sponsorship pay, Moreno walked away with a total pay of $1,192,000 for the fight. So, even though he may have lost his belt on the night, the estimated income may have dampened at least some of the sting from the loss.

He also secured the same base salary for his UFC 283 clash against Deiveson Figueiredo but only got an estimated $100,000 PPV payout for a total income of $1,042,000. So it’s reasonable to assume that he’d be getting the same base salary for UFC Edmonton, but since it’s not a PPV, the other figures may end up varying from his previous fights.

It’s important to note that all figures provided in the article are estimations based on publicly available sources and not an accurate representation. But for Moreno, this fight is more than just about the money. With back-to-back losses in his past 2-fights, the ‘Assassin Baby’ will be looking to put in a performance that reminds the fans and the flyweight division why he was a two-time flyweight champion who put Mexico on the map as the first-ever Mexican champion in company history. That being said, let’s shift our focus over to the man who’ll be sharing the cage with Moreno, the number-ranked Amir Albazi!

Amir Albazi’s estimated salary for UFC Fight Night 246  

Amir Albazi last stepped into the Octagon to take on Kai Kara-France in 2023 at UFC Vegas 74. The fight was a razor-thin contest with both men having their moments, but ‘The Prince’ walked away with his hands raised after edging out a split decision. Originally scheduled to face Moreno in February, a severe neck injury de-railed Albazi and the UFC’s plans.

In his statement about the injury at the recent UFC Edmonton media day, Albazi confessed, “After I got my first MRI, the first doctor said, ‘You shouldn’t be fighting anymore. Find a 9-to-5.’ I kept going to different doctors, and when the UFC doctors found out, they literally pulled me out of the fight, and I had to go straight into surgery. They told me I was one punch away from getting paralyzed. So, after that surgery, here I am.”

As mentioned above, Albazi is currently ranked no. 3 in the flyweight division and is yet to lose a fight in the promotion. According to information by MMASalaries.com, for his UFC 278 fight against Francisco Figueiredo in 2022, Albazi had walked away with a $16,000 base salary and a win bonus of the same amount bringing his total income up to $36,000.

However, since then, ‘The Prince’ has fought two more times in the UFC, and for taking on a former champion in a Fight Night card, Marca.com has estimated that he’ll be getting a base salary of $100,000 guaranteed. With his injury scare now in the past, Albazi is poised to cement his claim as the next contender for the elusive UFC gold.

Beyond the numbers, this event also marks the first time fighters can unleash 12-6 elbow strikes and there has also been a change to the grounded opponent rule. What is it? According to a bulletin published by Mike Mazulli, President of ABC (Association of Boxing Commissions and Combat Sports), “A fighter shall be considered grounded and may not be legally kneed or kicked to the head when any part of their body other than their hands or feet is in contact with the canvas (ground).”

With these game-changing rules in place, the main event at UFC Edmonton could be a collision of skill, grit, and raw power. Will the ‘Assassin Baby’ reclaim his momentum, or will ‘The Prince’ continue his undefeated streak? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.