UFC 281 returns on Saturday, 12 November, inside Madison Square Garden, New York. The UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya headlines the main event as he defends his title against the former kickboxing foe Alex Pereira. In the co-main event, strawweight champion Carla Esparaza will defend her title for the first time against Weili Zhang. How much will the fighters earn? Here we take a deep look into the UFC 281 purse and salaries.
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The fans are up for an exciting UFC 281 pay-per-view. One of the biggest stars of the UFC promotion, the middleweight champion Israel Adesanya will defend his title for the sixth time. Nicknamed “The Last Stylebender,” Adesanya will face difficult challenges against his former kickboxing opponent Alex Pereira.
Alex “Poatan” Pereira will get a boost of confidence against Adesanya, whom he defeated twice in kickboxing, once by a decision and once by KO.
The co-main event will feature the strawweight champion Carla Esparaza defending her title for the first time against the former champion Weili Zhang. Moreover, Dustin Poirier and Michael Chandler will lock horns in an exciting lightweight battle.
UFC 281 Salary
The event’s purse is based on the fighters’ reported contract with UFC.
How Much Will Israel Adesanya Earn Tonight?
Adesanya’s bout on UFC 221 against Rob Wilkinson earned him a small purse of $153,500 on February 11, 2018. But as “The Last Stylebender” rose through the ranks of the middleweight division, his fight purse got bigger. Namely, his first fight with Robert Whittaker earned him a hefty total of $1,090,000 and the UFC middleweight title.
The UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya (23-1-0) will earn a guaranteed purse of $1 million for the title fight. He will pocket a $42,000 sponsorship bonus. Moreover, another $100,000 will be up for grabs as a win bonus.
The champ @stylebender has spoken 🗣 #UFC281 pic.twitter.com/2SlTi4VlGq
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) November 11, 2022
Israel Adesanya bagged a whopping $1.8 million for his victory over Jared Cannonier in UFC 276.
How Much Will Alex Pereira Earn Tonight at UFC 281?
At the beginning of his career, Alex Pereira made a meager purse of $134,000 for a TKO victory against Andreas Michailidis at UFC 268. The Brazilian saw a rise in pay as he started fighting big names. His fight against Sean Strickland at UFC 276 earned him a hefty purse of $188,000.
For the upcoming bout against Adesanya at UFC 281, Pereira is set to bag a lofty guaranteed purse of $250,000. With the sponsorship deals and PPV share, the Brazilian will grab a whopping $500,000 for the fight, which will be his highest payday.
How Much Will Dustin Poirier Make Tonight?
Poirier’s bout on UFC 125 against Josh Grispi earned him a small purse of $18,000 on January 1, 2011. But as “Diamond” rose through the ranks of the lightweight division, his fight purse got bigger. Namely, his first fight with Conor McGregor earned him $84,000 at UFC 178.
Since becoming the interim champion, Porier has bagged around $1 million in fight purses. His first fight for the UFC Lightweight Championship against Khabib Nurmagomedov earned him a huge payday—though he lost, the bout earned him a whopping $1,077,500 at UFC 242.
Dustin Poirier will reportedly earn a guaranteed purse of $750,000. Along with sponsorship deals, Poirier will be grabbing a lofty total of $980,000.
How Much Will Michael Chandler Make Tonight?
On the other hand, Michael Chandler made a meager purse of $303,500 for a TKO victory against Dan Hooker at UFC 257. The American saw a rise in pay as he started fighting big names. His fight against Tony Ferguson at UFC 274 earned him a hefty purse of $1,074,500.
For the upcoming bout against Poirier at UFC 281, Michael Chandler is set to bag a lofty guaranteed purse of $450,000. With the sponsorship deals, Chandler will grab a whopping $370,000 for the fight.
How Much Will Carla Esparaza and Weili Zhang Salary Earn Tonight?
For the women’s strawweight title bout, the defending champion, Carla, will take home a guaranteed purse of $350,000.
On the other hand, the former title holder Weili Zhang will receive a guaranteed purse of $210,000.
UFC 281 Purse Payouts
Let’s take a look at how much each fighter will earn for UFC 281.
| Fighters | Purse | Sponsorship |
| Israel Adesanya | $1 million | $42,000 |
| Alex Pereira | $500,000 | $32,000 |
| Carla Esparaza | $350,000 | $42,000 |
| Weili Zhang | $210,000 | $32,000 |
| Dustin Poirier | $500,000 | $15,000 |
| Michael Chandler | $500,000 | $10,000 |
| Frankie Edgar | $275,000 | $20,000 |
| Chris Gutierrez | $75,000 | $5,000 |
| Dan Hooker | $210,000 | $15,000 |
| Claudio Puelles | $36,000 | $5,000 |
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