Leon Edwards took home £300,000 for his last-gasp knockout win over Kamaru Usman at UFC 278, whilst the former champion earned £430,000.
Edwards, 31, knocked out Usman with less than a minute left in their title fight last month to become just the second British champion in UFC history. Salaries for UFC events are typically not released by state commissions, but MMA Fighting was able to obtain the payouts for the Utah event under a freedom of information act.
Usman, who was the promotion's pound-for-pound No.1 fighter before losing to Edwards, was guaranteed £430,000 for the fight. Edwards was guaranteed £300,000 but also took home a £43,000 bonus for pulling off the spectacular knockout. Neither Usman nor Edwards was contracted to receive a win bonus, with the report stating they both likely received a share of the event's pay-per-view profits.
Paulo Costa had been clashing with the UFC over pay issues heading into his fight against Luke Rockhold in the co-main event of the Salt Lake City card and he earned £110,000 for his win. Rockhold, who retired after the fight, was guaranteed £217,000 but the pair both received an additional £43,000 in their Fight of the Night bonuses.
What are your thoughts on the UFC 278 payouts? Let us know in the comments section below
UFC legend Jose Aldo was the second-highest earner on the card as the Brazilian was guaranteed £350,000 for his decision loss to Merab Dvalishvili, who earned £170,000 for the win. The only other fighter on the card to earn six figures was heavyweight veteran Marcin Tybura, who took home just over £200,000 for his decision win against Alexander Romanov.
Fans have since been critical of the payouts for UFC 278, which drew a £3.7million live gate, with many believing fighters such as Usman, Edwards and Costa should have been paid more. Several fighters on the card were guaranteed the UFC's lowest salary of £9,500, with main card fighter Harry Hunsucker being one of those.
"Christ, Leon - champion of the world - got £300,000. Minus trainer/management/etc, he'd be left with what, £180,000? That's all he's earned in over a year," one user wrote. "The UFC cannot be taken seriously as a premier sports organisation alongside the NFL, NBA, etc. when athletes on their major events only make $10k," another added.
A third commenter wrote: "Top pound-for-pound fighter in the world clears £500,000 in a fight where he could have tied the record for most consecutive victories in UFC history lol what an organisation." A final user pointed out Costa's low payout, despite having previously competed for the middleweight title: "Costa wasn't lying. In his 8th fight, which including a championship fight, £56,000 [guaranteed] is taking the p***."
