MMA
UFC Noche Fighter Payouts: How Much Will the Headliners Earn?
September didn’t feature a numbered pay-per-view, but the UFC is still set to deliver with three action-packed Fight Night cards. The month kicked off in Paris with a blockbuster event that saw an incredible 11 finishes in one night. Now, the promotion looks to keep that momentum rolling with the third annual UFC Noche, set for the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio in celebration of Mexican Independence Day. The UFC has gone big with Noche in the past, debuting the concept in 2023 and then topping it with the massive spectacle of UFC 306.
This year, the spotlight shines on Diego Lopes, who headlines against the dangerous Jean Silva in a pivotal featherweight clash with title implications. The card will also feature several Mexican standouts, including David Martinez, Rafa Garcia, Santiago Luna, and Jesus Aguilar, making it a night packed with national pride and fan favorites. Beyond the action in Texas, fight fans will also keep a close eye on who walks away with the biggest payday from that memorable event.
UFC Noche: Projected Earnings for Diego Lopes & Jean Silva
Diego Lopes and Jean Silva square off in the main event of Saturday’s third Noche UFC, promising a thrilling featherweight clash. Lopes, who burst onto the scene with a short-notice debut at UFC 288, has since won five of six, including a victory over Brian Ortega at last year’s Noche UFC. However, he came up short in his title bid against Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 314 but remains a top contender at 145 pounds.
On the other hand, Silva is unbeaten in five UFC bouts since joining the roster in 2023, and has impressed with a knockout of Melsik Baghdasaryan and a submission win over Bryce Mitchell this year on the same card where Lopes came up short against Volk. His aggressive style makes this a compelling matchup, especially with added intrigue after teammates Caio Borralho and Mauricio Ruffy suffered setbacks in Paris last weekend.
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A steady climb has matched Lopes’ UFC rise in his earnings. He debuted at UFC 288 with a $12K base salary and $4K in sponsorships, but a $50K Fight of the Night bonus boosted his total payout to $66K. His stock continued to rise after a decision win over Brian Ortega at UFC 306, which earned him $155,000.
Lopes then cashed in on his biggest payday yet, nearly $682,000, for his featherweight title challenge against Volkanovski at UFC 314, despite falling short. Now, as he headlines Noche UFC in Texas without a title on the line, Lopes is still expected to pull in a hefty purse, projected at around $300,000 for Saturday’s main event.
Jean Silva’s UFC paychecks have steadily grown alongside his rise in the featherweight division. He made his debut at UFC Fight Night 234, earning $12,000 to show and another $12,000 with a victory over Westin Wilson. His purse doubled against Charles Jourdain at UFC 303, where he collected $24K to show and $24K to win.
Silva’s breakout came at UFC Denver against Drew Dober, where he pocketed roughly $85,000, boosted by a $50,000 Fight of the Night bonus. He followed that with an emphatic submission over Bryce Mitchell at UFC 314, earning another $50,000 bonus and bringing his total payout to around $206,000. Now set to headline a UFC card for the first time in his career, Silva is projected to take home between $250,000 and $275,000 for his main event clash in Texas.
UFC Noche: Projected Earnings for Rob Font, David Martinez, & More
Co-main eventer Rob Font entered the UFC in 2014, earning just $8,000 for his debut win over George Roop. Over the years, his pay steadily climbed, with his first six-figure base salary coming at UFC Vegas 44 against Jose Aldo, where he earned $100,000 despite the loss.
Today, Font commands $160,000 to show and the same to win. Even in defeat to Cory Sandhagen, he took home $325,000. At Noche UFC 2025, he’s expected to earn a similar figure in the $325,000 range. Meanwhile, David Martinez is only entering his second promotional bout and is on a 8-fight win streak coming into Texas.
Sep 14, 2024; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; A view of the interior of the Sphere before the start of Riyadh Season Noche UFC 306 at The Sphere. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images
In his UFC Mexico debut, he earned about $74,000 thanks to a $50,000 Performance of the Night bonus. With only two fights under his belt, his upcoming payout is expected to be closer to the standard $24,000 range, barring any bonuses. The card also features seasoned veterans like Kelvin Gastelum. The former interim middleweight title challenger’s biggest payday came in 2019, when he earned a $150,000 base salary in his war with Israel Adesanya at UFC 236.
He had previously taken home $100,000 (including win bonus) for knocking out Vitor Belfort in 2017. More recently, Gastelum earned $180,000 for his win over Chris Curtis at UFC 287, $250,000 for his return against Daniel Rodriguez in 2025, and about $300,000 in his loss to Joe Pyfer at UFC 316. For this bout, he’s projected to bring in around $200,000.
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Also on the prelims, former title challenger Tatiana Suarez makes her return. She earned $50,000 in her last outing against Jessica Andrade at UFC on ESPN 50 and banked roughly $300,000 in her unsuccessful title bid against Zhang Weili at UFC 312. Despite a career slowed by injuries, Suarez is expected to earn between $100,000 and $120,000 for her fight in Texas.
