UFC Baku Payouts: Who’s Earning the Most When the Octagon Hits Azerbaijan?

UFC Baku, Rafael Fiziev
UFC 313: Justin Gaethje vs Rafael Fiziev LAS VEGAS, NV - MARCH 8:Justin Gaethje and Rafael Fiziev meet in the octagon for a 3-round co-main event bout at UFC313 - Pereira vs Ankalaev at T-Mobile Arena on March 8, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada Photo by Louis Grasse/PxImages Las Vegas, Nevada T-Mobile Arena LAS VEGAS, NV United States Copyright: xLouisxGrassex
by Sami Haider

UFC Baku marked the promotion’s second historic trip to Azerbaijan, highlighted by a lightweight main event between Rafael Fiziev and Manuel Torres that delivered a dramatic second-round knockout. And as always, everyone on the main card was fighting for wins, show money, and post-fight bonuses

But UFC does not publish fighter salaries for international events. So, these figures are calculated based on past disclosed purses, athletic commission data, and official tier-based Venum sponsorship pay determined by each fighter’s UFC tenure.

With that in mind, here is the full estimated payout breakdown for tonight’s card.

Rafael Fiziev vs. Manuel Torres Lead UFC Baku’s Biggest Paydays

Fiziev made the most money as the headliner, taking home around $150,000. That is a significant rise from the $110,000 he made last time. Just to recap, UFC offers extra cash to its headliners.

Torres got at least $120,000 guaranteed for his very first headliner. He already knows how to hunt for bonuses, since he previously made $143,000 after knocking out Grant Dawson at UFC 323. He also reportedly got the Performance of the Night bonus after that bout, which helped him to earn nearly $150K.


Since Fiziev’s second-round spinning wheel kick knockout earned him an additional $100,000 Performance of the Night bonus, Fiziev took home a total purse of over $250,000 after UFC Baku. Torres, however, missed out on a post-fight bonus this time around.

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Michel Pereira Leads UFC Baku Co-Main Earners, Shara Bullet Eyes Big Bonus Night

Michel Pereira entered the night as one of the most interesting financial cases on the card. Thanks to his tenure and high marketability, the Brazilian showman was estimated to clear around $261,000 from his base pay and sponsorship deals combined.

Michel Pereira, UFC

February 21, 2026, Houston, Tx, USA: HOUSTON, TEXAS Ãâ FEBRUARY 21: Michel Pereira celebrates his win against Zachary Reese during a middleweight bout at UFC Fight Night: Strickland vs. Hernandez at Toyota Center on February 21 in Houston, Texas. Houston USA – ZUMAr187 20260221_zsp_r187_156 Copyright: xJustinxRenfroex

This potentially made him the highest single-base earner on the night, despite not being in the main event. His opponent, Sharaputdin “Shara Bullet” Magomedov, carried a volatile base estimate between $50,000 and $100,000.


The rest of the main card featured solid baseline projections. Matheus Camilo was estimated to make between $130,000 and $150,000, while Charles Johnson sat in a wide bracket of $80,000 to $130,000, depending on his win bonuses. Middleweights Ikram Aliskerov and Brunno Ferreira also carried strong guarantees based on their recent outings.


At the lower end of the payout scale, Abus Magomedov and Nazim Sadykhov were both estimated at around $65,000, while Asu Almabayev had a lower guarantee of $30,000 to $40,000. For the fighters sitting at these entry-level tiers, securing a post-fight bonus is truly the difference between a decent night and a life-changing paycheck.

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However, final payouts will vary based on other bonuses, sponsorship agreements and compliance pay tied to UFC tenure.

PHOTO CREDIT: IMAGO / ZUMA Press Wire