Fighting in front of the home crowd brings something special that money can’t buy. The energy, the pressure, the pure emotion of performing for your people creates unforgettable moments. But these fighters still need to get paid for putting their health on the line. The UFC doesn’t publicly disclose exact fighter salaries anymore, which always leads to speculation and educated guesses. UFC Rio delivered spectacular action with Brazilian stars headlining the card, and naturally everyone wants to know what landed in their bank accounts.
Charles Oliveira just put on a show at UFC Rio, submitting Mateusz Gamrot in front of an adoring home crowd. The financial side of fight night matters just as much as the action inside the octagon though. So, how much did Charles Oliveira, Mateusz Gamrot and others make from UFC Rio? Based on their recent fight purses and the nature of this Fight Night event, the numbers paint an interesting picture.
Charles Oliveira has consistently earned big money for his recent fights, pulling in over a million dollars for six of his last seven appearances. The one exception was his UFC 300 bout against Arman Tsarukyan, where he made around $771,000. Since UFC Rio was a Fight Night event rather than a pay-per-view, and considering Oliveira was coming off a knockout loss to Ilia Topuria, his purse likely fell somewhere between $750,000 and $800,000. Plus, he also got the $50,000 Performance of the Night Bonus.
Mateusz Gamrot stepped in on short notice to replace Rafael Fiziev, which typically comes with some additional compensation. The Polish fighter has earned between $100,000 and $150,000 for most of his recent bouts. Gamrot probably made somewhere in that $300,000 range or possibly higher. It’s solid money, but still a fraction of what the Brazilian legend took home.
Deiveson Figueiredo competed in the co-main event against Montel Jackson, and the former two-time flyweight champion commands respectable money. His recent bantamweight fights have earned him between $250,000 and $300,000, and UFC Rio likely fell within that same range. Figueiredo’s status as a former champion ensures he gets paid well even when not fighting for a title.
Vicente Luque faced Joel Alvarez on the main card and brought veteran experience to the table. The welterweight recently earned $471,000 for a first-round submission over Themba Gorimbo. His previous fights typically paid between $270,000 and $300,000, so his UFC Rio purse probably landed in that ballpark.
Beyond base purses, the UFC pays fight week incentives based on experience levels. Fighters with just one to three UFC bouts receive $4,000, while those with four to five fights get $4,500. The pay scale increases with experience. Veterans with 11-15 fights earn $11,000, while fighters with over 20 UFC appearances pocket $21,000. Champions receive $42,000 in fight week pay, and title challengers get $32,000.
Veteran fighters like Oliveira and Luque earned an additional $21,000 each just for showing up to fight week. These incentives might seem small compared to main event purses, but they matter significantly for undercard fighters building their careers.
The UFC handed out four $50,000 Performance of the Night bonuses at UFC Rio, rewarding the fighters who delivered the most memorable finishes. Charles Oliveira earned his bonus by submitting Mateusz Gamrot with a second-round rear-naked choke in the main event.
Vitor Petrino also earned $50,000 for his devastating knockout performance, while Bia Mesquita and Julia Polastri picked up bonuses for their impressive showings on the card. The UFC didn’t award a Fight of the Night bonus despite the card featuring nine total finishes, choosing instead to spread the wealth among four standout individual performances. Each of these fighters walked away with an extra $50,000 on top of their regular purses, making their UFC Rio experience even sweeter.
(Image Credit: Mark J. Rebilas – Imagn Images)
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