The UFC is back with another action-packed pay-per-view of the year UFC 281, which will take place on 13th November inside the Madison Square Garden in New York. One of the biggest stars in the promotion, Israel Adesanya, will headline this pay-per-view. ‘The Last Stylebender’ in his sixth UFC title defense will take on his rival from Glory Kickboxing days, Alex Pereira.
In the co-main event, strawweight champion Carla Esparza will defend her title for the first time against former champion Weili Zhang. Besides these two title fights, one more fight is a highlight of the event. That is the lightweight battle between Dustin Poirier and Michael Chandler on the main card.
Ahead of this event, let’s take a look at how much money each fighter is expected to earn.
UFC 281: Israel Adesanya vs. Alex Pereira Payouts, Purses, and Salary
Before we dive into the salaries of the fighters, it is vital to note that the UFC hasn’t officially announced the purses of the UFC 281 fighters. However, their previous fight salaries can give us an estimation.
‘The Last Stylebender’ is amongst the highest-paid UFC fighters. The middleweight champion also earns a big chunk from the pay-per-view buys. According to Sports Zion, Adesanya bagged a whopping $1.8 million after his victory over Jared Cannonier at UFC 276.
On the other hand, Pereira is currently a surging star. He has competed in three UFC fights and won them all. In his last victory over Sean Strickland, the Brazilian mixed martial artist earned over $188,000, per Sports Zion.
Below are the estimated salaries of the UFC 281 fighters:
| Fighters | Base Purse | PPV Points | Total Expected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Israel Adesanya | $600,000 | $400,000 | $1000,000 |
| Alex Pereira | $300,000 | $200,000 | $500,000 |
| Dustin Poirier | $300,000 | $100,000 | $400,000 |
| Michael Chandler | $200,000 | $100,000 | $300,000 |
‘Poatan’ has a mental edge going into the fight against Adesanya
‘Poatan’ has already defeated ‘The Last Stylebender’ twice in their kickboxing career. He has also finished two opponents in stunning fashion in the UFC. Thus, many people believe Pereira could outperform the champion.
Hence, Adesanya has a lot of pressure going into the bout. However, ‘The Last Stylebender’ is undefeated in the promotion. He has won over many top contenders on the roster. Thus, nothing can be said until they enter the cage.
Who is your pick in this fight? What are your thoughts about the event?
