The story was the big promotional story coming out of UFC 305 fighter and other news leading up to this weekend. All centered around intense rivalry and fighters getting major paydays. Add in the main event status that will pay Adesanya a guaranteed $1 million. Also, with an additional $32,000 from brand sponsorships, his total potential payday could soar to over $2 million. Du Plessis’ opponent received a guarantee of $500k to fight and expected his sponsors would cover over a million.
The fact that the bout between Adesanya and Du Plessis ended with a submission victory for Du Plessis to make it his 2nd win in as many fights is thrilling. That victory cemented his status as one of the UFC’s brightest young talents. Particularly after he respectfully paid tribute to Adesanya. The pair also received the typical UFC post-fight bonuses, including a $100k win bonus. On top of all this, UFC also boasts “Performance” and “Fight of the Night” bonuses. Paid out to fighters who demonstrate great skill or resilience.
Co-Main Event and Other Fighters Salaries
The co-main event was Kai Kara-France against Steve Erceg, with a fixed salary of $300,000 for France and approximately $11,000 from endorsements. Erceg, more of a newbie within the UFC ranks, was slated to receive $75k. Two commercials would boost his salary to just over 80 stacks.
Dan Hooker and Tai Tuivasa also stood out on the fight card. Experts forecasted that Hooker would make $350,000 against Mateusz Gamrot, along with possible sponsorship pay of up to $21,000. The powerful Tuivasa was set to pocket a base paycheck of $200,000, along with an additional $16,000 in sponsorship. While these Apple numbers are large for UFC fighters, they can greatly differ depending on the popularity and ranking of a given fighter (source 9, source 10).
Implications and Prospects for the Future
The figures from UFC 305 will show that, for all the talk about rising stars running a new era of MMA, if you want the most money possible in your pocket at fight time, then lean on one leader-led fighter like Adesanya to pull these pay-per-view and ticket sales. Du Plessis’s win has put him on the map, making his pay increase also endorsement deals in future fights. With Adesanya, the well is a little drier: It seems unlikely that another title shot will come to him following this loss (which raises major questions about his future in the division altogether.
By doing so, UFC 305 encapsulated the rarity and business of high-stakes MMA stardom—a strategy that continues to define the current landscape under Zuffa ownership, as matchmakers book top fighters like Masvidal with favorite fan-fighters who keep audiences engaged.
