UFC 331 delivered plenty of fireworks in Los Angeles, with Joshua Van retaining his flyweight title against Alexandre Pantoja in a wild back-and-forth main event. In the co-main event, Arman Tsarukyan made a huge statement by flatlining Mauricio Ruffy in the opening round and potentially putting himself next in line for a lightweight title shot.
But while the action inside the Octagon grabbed most of the attention, there was plenty happening on the financial side too.
The fighter paydays for UFC 331 have now been revealed by the California State Athletic Commission, giving fans a look at what the athletes officially earned for competing on Saturday night.
Pantoja topped the list with a flat $650,000 for his main-event appearance. Van wasn’t far behind, earning $500,000 despite walking away with the victory. Both fighters also picked up an additional $100,000 after their five-round war was named Fight of the Night.
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Tsarukyan also took home a hefty payday, earning $350,000 for the fight along with another $100,000 Performance of the Night bonus. Ruffy, meanwhile, collected $110,000 despite suffering the first-round knockout.
One of the biggest surprises of the night came from Sean Sharaf, who shocked the MMA world by knocking out Gable Steveson in just 12 seconds. Sharaf’s official UFC 331 payment was initially listed at $60,000, and despite producing one of the most memorable finishes of the night, he did not receive an official Performance of the Night bonus.
The UFC still found a way to reward him. Sharaf received a $50,000 “Mobland” promotional “Chaos” bonus, which Dana White said he would personally match with another $50,000. Moreover, he also earned an additional $25,000 finish bonus, which pushed Sharaf’s total earnings to $185,000.
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The payday was particularly significant considering Sharaf had previously revealed on Instagram that he was dealing with around $600,000 in debt. White also acknowledged Sharaf’s financial situation during the post-fight press conference.
It is worth remembering that the California State Athletic Commission figures don’t tell the complete story. The disclosed amounts do not include performance or discretionary bonuses unless specifically listed, and they also exclude letters of agreement, commonly known as “side letters,” which the UFC can use for high-profile fighters or special circumstances.
UFC 331 Fighter Paydays Full List
- Joshua Van: $500,000 (+$100,000 Fight of the Night bonus)
- Alexandre Pantoja: $650,000 (+$100,000 Fight of the Night bonus)
- Arman Tsarukyan: $350,000 (+$100,000 Performance of the Night bonus)
- Mauricio Ruffy: $110,000
- Patricio Freire: $425,000 ($200,000 to show + $200,000 win + $25,000 finish bonus)
- Doo Ho Choi: $85,000
- Sean Sharaf: $185,000 ($30,000 to show + $30,000 win + $25,000 finish bonus + $50,000+$50,000 Chaos bonus)
- Gable Steveson: $160,000
- Alonzo Menifield: $310,000 ($155,000 to show + $155,000 win)
- Iwo Baraniewski: $50,000
- Marlon Vera: $425,000 ($200,000 to show + $200,000 win + $25,000 finish bonus)
- Charles Jourdain: $108,000
- Robelis Despaigne: $200,000 ($100,000 to show + $100,000 win)
- Tai Tuivasa: $350,000
- Michael Aswell: $60,000 ($30,000 to show + $30,000 win)
- JooSang Yoo: $12,000
- Ryan Gandra: $53,000 ($14,000 to show + $14,000 win + $25,000 finish bonus)
- Ozzy Diaz: $25,000
- Edmen Shahbazyan: $250,000 ($125,000 to show + $125,000 win)
- Brunno Ferreira: $95,000
- Casey O’Neill: $232,000 ($66,000 to show + $66,000 win + $100,000 Performance of the Night bonus)
- Eduarda Moura: $33,000
- Joanderson Brito: $183,000 ($79,000 to show + $79,000 win + $25,000 finish bonus)
- Giga Chikadze: $93,000
UFC 331 Bonus Winners
- $100K Fight of the Night: Joshua Van vs. Alexandre Pantoja
- $100K Performance of the Night: Arman Tsarukyan
- $100K Performance of the Night: Casey O’Neill
- $50K Proper Chaos: Sean Sharaf, with Dana White announcing he would match it with another $50,000
- $25K Finish Bonuses: Joanderson Brito, Ryan Gandra, Marlon Vera, Patricio Freire, Sean Sharaf
Kshitiz Kumar Singh is a UFC Writer at NY Fights with over three years of experience in sports journalism and content creation. Known for his sharp storytelling and passion for combat sports, he has written in-depth features on stars like Brock Lesnar, Randy Couture, and Ilia Topuria. Before joining NY Fights, Kshitiz worked as a UFC Editor at EssentiallySports while currently serving as a WWE Editor at FirstSportz. His admiration for legends like Georges St-Pierre continues to inspire his detailed and engaging MMA coverage. Whether he’s covering the Octagon or the squared circle, Kshitiz is committed to delivering accurate, high-quality content. Outside the world of sports, he’s a dedicated cinephile, often found practicing monologues from his favorite Al Pacino films, combining his love for cinema with storytelling.
