Alexandre Pantoja walked out of UFC 331 in Los Angeles with a disclosed payout of $650,000. That’s a massive number, and it put him not just at the top of the pay sheet for the night, but even ahead of the champion he fought, Joshua Van. The California State Athletic Commission dropped these official figures to MMA Junkie before Saturday’s event at Crypto.com Arena, and they tell a wild story about who truly got paid.
The Main Event Payout That Shook Everyone
Joshua Van came into UFC 331 as the lone champion on the entire card. He was putting his flyweight title on the line in a huge rematch that headlined the whole damn show against Alexandre Pantoja. You’d think the champ, the headliner, would be the highest earner, right? Nope. Pantoja snagged a flat $650,000, while Van, the champ, pocketed a flat $500,000. That’s a huge difference when you’re the one defending the belt. It really makes you wonder about the negotiating table before these big fights, especially when the challenger out-earns the title holder by a quarter-million dollars in disclosed pay.
Who Else Cashed Big at Crypto.com Arena
Beyond the main event shocker, there were some other interesting payouts to dig into. In the co-main event, lightweight top contender Arman Tsarukyan was set to pull in a flat $350,000. His opponent, Mauricio Ruffy, had a “show-win” deal, getting $110,000 just to show up and another $110,000 if he snagged the victory. It’s a common structure, but it highlights the risk fighters like Ruffy take. And here’s the kicker: these numbers don’t even include performance bonuses, discretionary bonuses, or those infamous “side letters” that promotions often use for the big-name athletes. That means some of these guys might have walked away with a whole lot more!
Other notable payouts from the night included Patricio Freire and Marlon Vera, both on show-win deals that could get them $400,000 ($200,000 to show plus $200,000 to win). Tai Tuivasa also got a solid $350,000 flat, and Alonzo Menifield had a potential $310,000 coming his way ($155,000 to show plus $155,000 to win). Even Edmen Shahbazyan was set for a cool $250,000 with a win. But then you see guys like JooSang Yoo making just $12,000, or Ryan Gandra getting $28,000 ($14,000 to show plus $14,000 to win), and it really shows the massive spectrum of earnings in the sport.
These disclosed figures are just the tip of the iceberg, making you wonder what the *real* take-home was for some of these fighters after bonuses and those secret side letters. It just goes to show you how much is on the line, both in the octagon and on the balance sheet, before the first punch is even thrown.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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