Despite a defeat to Dricus du Plessis at UFC 305, Israel Adesanya reportedly earned more than the reigning champion.
The bout, held at the RAC Arena in Perth, Australia, saw Du Plessis successfully defend his UFC Middleweight Championship for the first time, with Adesanya tapping out in the fourth round.
This fight was historic as it marked the first UFC title clash between two African fighters and brought significant financial rewards to both competitors.
According to The Sportster, Adesanya, a former two-time middleweight champion, was guaranteed $750,000 for the fight, whereas Du Plessis earned $500,000.
Both fighters are expected to earn seven figures when factoring in pay-per-view revenues, with Adesanya’s share projected to be higher due to his established status and past achievements.
Prior to the fight, Du Plessis stirred controversy by claiming to be the “first real African UFC champion,” targeting past African titleholders like Adesanya, Kamaru Usman, and Francis Ngannou. Adesanya viewed this as a slight against his heritage.
Following his win via rear naked choke, Du Plessis apologized and praised Adesanya as a legend, clarifying that he did not intend to disrespect Adesanya’s African roots.
The UFC 305 card also featured notable payouts for other fighters.
In the co-main event, Kai Kara-France received a $50,000 bonus in addition to his $300,000 base pay for his first-round knockout of Steve Erceg, who earned $75,000.
Dan Hooker and Mateusz Gamrot, who competed in an exciting lightweight bout, each received $50,000 bonuses in addition to their base pays of $350,000 and $110,000, respectively.
