Dana White is a visionary, a genius, a strategist, and many more. The very idea of putting fighters inside the Las Vegas Sphere was certainly groundbreaking. It definitely lived up to the hype, with the Sean O’Malley vs. Merab Dvalishvili fight shocking fans with a big upset. Considering the UFC CEO invested $20 million in the event, there is a lot of speculation regarding how much the fighters pocketed. Especially now, with Dvalishvili’s dominant 5-round win over O’Malley, the conversation about money is at an all-time high.
Talking about the UFC 306 main event purse, Payout News reports that O’Malley earned $2.3 million, including PPV shares, from his win over Marlon Vera at UFC 299, plus an additional $50,000 for his performance. So, it is estimated that ‘Suga’ will make nearly $3 million for the upcoming Noche UFC event, including a 50% PPV share.
In contrast, ‘The Machine’ received $221,000 for his last fight against Henry Cejudo, along with a PPV share. For his promising victory match at UFC 306, he is expected to earn a similar six-figure payout, estimated at around $350,000, plus 40% of the PPV share.
Even after losing the fight, O’Malley reportedly managed to earn more than the new champion Dvalishvili, according to estimates. Despite Dvalishvili’s significant win being one of the biggest of his career, which earned him a substantial purse and a gold belt, Dana White did not award any bonuses for this fight. Instead, other fighters received bonuses for their exceptional performances.
A Look at Fighters Who Earned Bonuses At UFC 306
Daniel Zellhuber and Esteban Ribovics thrilled the main card with their impressive performance. The fighters engaged in a thrilling three-round kickboxing match that was a back-and-forth spectacle. The judges’ scorecards showed Ribovics winning by split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28). The fight was so outstanding that Dana White awarded both fighters the Fight of the Night bonus.
Ignacio Bahamondes secured the Performance of the Night bonus for his TKO victory over Manuel Torres at 4:02 of Round 1. Additionally, Ketlen Souza earned the Performance of the Night bonus for her submission win via rear-naked choke against Yazmin Jauregui at 3:02 of Round 1.
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Overall, the UFC 306 was exceptional and lived up to the hype, with many fans thrilled by the atmosphere at the venue. The night also saw some upsets, as both champions Alexa Grasso and Sean O’Malley lost their belts. However, there’s a strong expectation that both will make a comeback.
