Current owner of the flyweight belt in UFC since July 2023, Alexandre Pantoja He has made three successful title defenses, but he is still the champion with one of the lowest salaries in the organization.
The Brazilian went through financial difficulties until a few years ago; In 2021, a week before his first fight with Brandon Royval, he was still working as a driver and app delivery boy in the United States.
Until his first title defense, in December last year, Pantoja had salaries between US$15 and US$50 thousand (R$90 and R$300 thousand, at current prices).
His first significant salary came in May, when he defended the belt against Steve Erceg in Rio de Janeiro, at UFC 301; he received around US$750 thousand (R$4.5 million)including sponsorship and pay-per-view profits.
The expectation of total payments for his third title defense, at UFC 310, has risen once again – US$2 million (R$12 million), but the value is still well below what other Ultimate champions received in 2024even though he was nominated for “Fighter of the Year” at the MMA Oscars, and other champions who won more than him did not.
UFC champions earn more than Pantoja
In his second title defense, Sean O’Malley received US$3.2 million (R$19 million), despite his loss to Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 306.
Ilia Topuria, who defended her belt for the first time in October, earned US$3.9 million (R$23 million) — and even Max Holloway, who lost to the Spaniard, earned more than Pantoja; it was US$2.4 million (R$14 million) for the main fight.
Alex Poatan Pereira and Jon Jones received astronomical amounts; the Brazilian earned US$6 million (R$36 million) to defend his belt at UFC 303 and UFC 307, while the heavyweight champion earned US$6.2 million (R$37 million) to face Stipe Miocic after more a year without fighting.
The only “low” salary that comes close to what Pantoja received at UFC 301 was Islam Makhachev’s – but it was still more than double. The Russian earned US$1.6 million (R$9.7 million) to face Dustin Poirier in the following edition.
The reason for the Fluminense’s low salary was never clarified, but it may have to do with his division. Flyweight fights, the lightest category in Ultimate, don’t tend to sell as much as other categories, mainly due to the lack of relevant names.
Bringing in Kai Asakura, champion from another organization, was an attempt by Dana White to put the flyweights in the spotlight. But perhaps the best alternative for Pantoja to improve his salary is, in fact, to move up to bantamweight and face former champion O’Malley, a name that attracts a lot of media and sponsorship.