He may have surrendered his Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) middleweight title this past weekend, but South Africa’s Dricus du Plessis will receive a small silver lining in the way of a bloated bank account.
Du Plessis had no answers for undefeated Russian Khamzat Chimaev’s wrestling as he succumbed to a unanimous decision defeat at UFC 319 in Chicago on Sunday.
Various reports online have estimated the South African will receive approximately $3 million (nearly R59 million) for essentially laying on the ground for almost 25 minutes.
According to livemint.com this amount includes a $1 million base purse reflecting his championship status, as well as between $1-1,5 million in Pay Per View and promotional bonuses — boosted by his star power and PPV points.
Had he won the fight, this amount would have increased by a further $500,000.
New champion Chimaev
New champion Chimaev will earn an estimated $1.8 million — $750,000 for his base purse, $500,000 win bonus, roughly $750,000 to $1 million, driven by the event’s hype and an extra $50,000 for his performance of the night bonus.
Notably, Du Plessis previously banked $3.34 million at UFC 312 against Sean Strickland, per industry estimates, and $1.9 million at UFC 305 against Israel Adesanya.
The combined earnings of Du Plessis and Chimaev, estimated at over $5 million, highlight the financial stakes of UFC title fights.
Chimaev’s amount reflects his rising star power, while Du Plessis’ $3 million highlights the champion’s PPV advantage.
As the UFC prepares for a $7.7 billion Paramount deal in 2026, these figures spark curiosity about future fighter pay structures.
Issued on The Citizen (South Africa) by Clinton Jones | https://www.citizen.co.za/sport/how-much-money-dricus-du-plessis-won-ufc319/
