Fighter pay remains one of the most controversial topics in MMA. Boxers often earn significantly more for comparable events and audience sizes. The UFC keeps most of its financial details private from public view. Only certain state athletic commissions require disclosure of fighter purses. This leaves fans guessing about what their favorite athletes actually take home.<\/p>
Madison Square Garden hosted UFC 322 with two championship fights headlining the card. Islam Makhachev challenged Jack Della Maddalena for the welterweight title. Valentina Shevchenko defended her flyweight belt against Zhang Weili. The stacked card featured contenders and rising stars throughout the lineup. But how much money actually exchanged hands that night? The UFC 322 payouts reveal interesting details about fighter compensation at the sport’s highest level.<\/p>
Islam Makhachev walked away with the biggest payday of the night. His disclosed purse for UFC 311 against Renato Moicano was $250,000. MMA Salaries estimated his total compensation exceeded $1.8 million. That figure included performance bonuses and pay-per-view revenue shares together. He’s now a two-division champion with massive drawing power internationally. The Dagestani fighter probably earned even more at UFC 322 considering the magnitude. He would probably be around $1.5 to $2 million this time.<\/p>
Jack Della Maddalena came in as the defending welterweight champion. Tapology estimated his total disclosed earnings before UFC 315 at roughly $320,000. His projected purse for defeating Belal Muhammad sat between $350 and $450,000. As champion defending his belt, Della Maddalena likely earned in that upper range, maybe more. But losing means he missed out on any win bonuses unfortunately.<\/p>
Valentina Shevchenko has consistently earned high six-figure payouts throughout her championship reign. She reportedly made a $500,000 base purse for her third Alexa Grasso fight. With bonuses and PPV points included, her total could climb near one million. Bullet’s experience and champion status command serious money from the UFC.<\/p>
Zhang Weili has also cashed some massive checks during her career. Her biggest payday came at UFC 312 where she pocketed approximately $2.5 million dollars. That’s elite-level money for women’s MMA by any measure. Zhang’s popularity in China makes her incredibly valuable to the promotion. Even in defeat at UFC 322, she likely earned in the high six figures.<\/p>
Leon Edwards broke the million dollar mark against Colby Covington at UFC 296. His estimated total exceeded $1.04 million with PPV shares. For UFC<\/a> 322 against Carlos Prates, Edwards probably earned way less without the title. Former champions typically still command strong purses though based on name recognition.<\/p> Carlos Prates earned more than $150,000 at UFC 305 previously. That included his $65,000 pay plus $50,000 bonus. Knocking out a former champion like Edwards probably earned him another performance bonus too.<\/p> The UFC handed out four Performance of the Night bonuses at UFC 322, rewarding the most spectacular finishes with an extra $50,000 each. Michael Morales earned his bonus by destroying Sean Brady in the first round <\/a>with devastating strikes. Carlos Prates collected his bonus after putting Leon Edwards to sleep with a perfectly placed left hand. He became the first fighter ever to knock out the former champion cold. <\/p>UFC 322 Bonuses<\/h2>