UFC Paris Fighter Payouts: How Much Will the Headliners Earn?

September 2025 may not feature a numbered UFC card, but the action is stacked. It all begins with UFC Paris at the Accor Arena on September 6, headlined by a potential middleweight title eliminator between Caio Borralho and hometown star Nassourdine Imavov. Borralho has long pursued this matchup, while Imavov rides high after his stunning knockout of Israel Adesanya at UFC Saudi Arabia.

In the co-main, Benoit Saint-Denis looks to keep his recent momentum alive against another Fighting Nerd Mauricio Ruffy, who enters with major buzz following his viral knockout of King Green at UFC 313. Saint-Denis, meanwhile, is eager to rebuild after setbacks against Dustin Poirier and Renato Moicano. Beyond the fights, fans will be watching closely to see who walks away with the biggest payday in the French capital.

UFC Paris: Projected Earnings for Nassourdine Imavov & Caio Borralho

Born in Dagestan but raised in France, Imavov has built a reputation as one of the most versatile fighters in the UFC. At 30 years old, he has only two losses on his record and enters UFC Paris on a four-fight winning streak. Imavov’s success has also translated into solid paydays. He reportedly earned $256,000 for his win over Roman Dolidze in February 2024, followed by around $300,000 for his fight against Jared Cannonier. 

His biggest payday to date came against Israel Adesanya at UFC Saudi Arabia, where reports suggest he pocketed between $200,000 and $400,000. Now, as he headlines another Fight Night, this time in his hometown, Imavov is expected to secure a career-high purse of around $500,000.

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On the other hand, Borralho made his UFC debut in April 2022, and since then, ‘The Fighting Nerd’ has put together an impressive seven-fight winning streak. His run includes a second-round submission of Paul Craig and a decision victory over Jared Cannonier in August 2024.

Now on his second UFC contract, Borralho has reportedly been earning between $100,000 and $150,000 per fight, with additional win bonuses boosting his payouts. Headlining UFC Paris, the Brazilian is expected to take home a career-high purse in the range of $250,000 to $350,000, a payday that could bring him even closer to a shot at middleweight gold.

UFC Paris: Projected Earnings for Benoit Saint Denis & Mauricio Ruffy 

Saint-Denis returns to Paris for the fourth year in a row, this time welcoming Ruffy to the French capital. ‘God of War’ rose quickly in the lightweight division with five wins between June 2022 and November 2023, but his momentum stalled in 2024 after back-to-back losses to Dustin Poirier and Renato Moicano, the latter in last year’s Paris main event. 

He bounced back in May at UFC 315, scoring a dominant second-round submission over late replacement Kyle Prepolec, and now looks to build on that momentum at home. His earnings have reflected his rise. At UFC 299, he reportedly took home $250,000, including a $50,000 Fight of the Night bonus. While exact figures from his fight with Moicano are unclear, estimates suggest around $300,000 since it was a main-card slot. For this weekend’s headliner, Saint-Denis is expected to earn between $200,000 and $250,000.

 

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Ruffy, meanwhile, is the fourth member of the Fighting Nerds team to enter the UFC and, though less active, he has already made waves. After joining Dana White’s Contender Series in 2023, he’s delivered three memorable performances, including a spinning wheel-kick knockout of King Green at UFC 313, a clear contender for Knockout of the Year. 

That win earned him $110,000, including a performance bonus. Earlier, he banked around $24,000 for his UFC 309 victory over James Llontop. Still early in his career, Ruffy is expected to make between $80,000 and $100,000 in Paris, though another highlight-reel finish could push him higher.

NOTE: Estimated figures in the article are courtesy of BetMGM