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Nigerian multimillionaire MMA fighter Israel Adesanya has reclaimed his UFC middleweight championship belt in spectacular fashion.
After a tough defeat to longtime rival Alex Pereira in 2022, Adesanya bounced back against “Poatan” with a resounding second-round knockout in the main event of UFC 287 in Miami, Florida.
The victory solidifies Adesanya’s legacy as one of the greatest MMA fighters of all time. His impressive performance comes with significant financial rewards as well.
He is set to earn a total payout of up to $2 million, which includes a guaranteed payout of $1 million and additional earnings from sponsorships, pay-per-view earnings, and a win bonus worth almost $100,000.
Adesanya’s $2-million payout from the UFC, which is led by U.S. businessman and fight promoter Dana White, is the highest of his career.
This significant sum comes less than a week after the merger of UFC with WWE to form a new publicly traded company controlled by Endeavor Group.
The merger values WWE at $9.3 billion and UFC, which is owned by Endeavor, at $12.1 billion.
The synergies of the merged UFC and WWE under Endeavor Group create opportunities for “The Last Style Bender” and other fighters to unlock even greater value from their work.
Despite the risks involved in putting their bodies on the line, Adesanya and his fellow fighters stand to benefit from the growing popularity of MMA and the strong financial backing of the merged company.
Adesanya’s $2-million payout puts him on track to surpass his total earnings of $4.1 million in 2022, which included a $1.54-million payout, a $1.8-million payout, and $750,000 in earnings from his first fight in the UFC against Pereira in November 2022.
The Nigerian fighter, who is one of the highest-paid athletes on the UFC’s roster, signed a multi-fight contract with the promotion in 2022 that runs through 2023.
In addition to his UFC earnings, Adesanya has invested in real estate in Auckland, New Zealand, and Lagos, Nigeria, using some of his fight winnings.
He has also diversified his income streams through key partnerships, such as his deal with Australian MMA equipment and apparel company, Engage.
