UFC 2022: Israel Adesanya was the most active champion in 2022, fighting three times, eventually losing his belt to long-time rival Alex Pereira. And as the curtain draws on another successful year, we look at Adesanya’s earnings and see how much the former champion earned in 2022. For more combat sports news, follow Insidesport.IN.
READ ALSO: VIDEO: Best UFC Submissions in 2022 Ft. Islam Makhachev, Jiri Prochazka, and More
Fighter pay is a sensitive issue in the sport, with many fighters accusing Dana White of underpaying the roster. However, Adesanya’s earnings in 2022 may be a step in the right direction to solve the issue of fighter pay.
UFC 2022: How Much Money Did Israel Adesanya Earn From the UFC in 2022?
Adesanya was easily the highest-paid UFC fighter in 2022. This is because he fought on three PPV cards, and also thanks to his new contract. Signing the contract guaranteed Adesanya earns $1 million per fight. As a result, Adesanya has earned over $4 million from the UFC in 2022.
Israel Adesanya earnings breakdown in 2022
Adesanya’s first event in 2022 was his PPV fight against Robert Whittaker at UFC 271. ‘The Last Stylebender’ took home a whopping $1,542,000. This included a $1 million base pay, a $500,000 PPV share, and a $42,000 sponsorship share.
At UFC 276, Adesanya defended his belt against Jared Cannonier. In this bout, the New Zealander earned $1772,000 in total. This included a $1.5 million base pay, a $200,000 PPV share, a $30,000 performance bonus, and a $42,000 sponsorship share.
And finally, at UFC 281, Adesanya faced Alex Pereira. And although he lost, Adesanya took home an insane $2,642,000. This included a $2 million base pay, $600,000 PPV share, and $42,000 sponsorship share. This is his highest purse payout till date. And it could have been higher had he won and got a performance bonus.
Thus, these figures show why Adesanya was the highest earner in the UFC, only considering UFC earnings. While the other avenues of income may reveal a complete list among active fighters, Israel Adesanya is at the top thanks to his activity and his new contract.
What do you make of Israel Adesanya’s earnings in 2022? Do you think this is a step in the right direction to solve the issue of fighter pay? Or is it just an exception to the problem?
For more combat sports news, follow Insidesport.IN.
