How much is Jiri Prochazka getting paid to fight Alex Pereira? Looking into the former champ’s estimated UFC 295 payout
This weekend at UFC 295, former light heavyweight kingpin Jiri Prochazka and former middleweight champion Alex Pereira will engage in what the MMA world believes will be a battle for the ages to lay claim to the vacant 205 lbs title.
A win at UFC 295 gives both men unique bragging rights. Prochazka will become a two-time champion if he reclaims his old title, and 'Poatan' will join a small group of fighters who have won titles across two weight divisions in the promotion.
Besides bragging rights, both men are expected to earn a sizeable cheque for their troubles.
Although there is no official confirmation regarding fighter compensations for the event, a report by Inside Sports pegs a base pay of $300,000 for 'BJP' while the Brazilian is set to bag a slightly higher payout of $400,000.
However, their final payouts might be substantially higher when pay-per-view points are factored in. Hence, Prochazka's projected total purse is $700,000, while Pereira's is estimated to be around $900,000.
Alex Pereira will be coming into UFC 295 brimming with confidence from his split decision win against former champion Jan Blachowicz at UFC 291. Furthermore, 'Poatan' holds wins against promotional elites like Sean Strickland and Israel Adesanya.
'BJP' won't have any shortage of confidence either, especially since he never technically lost the light heavyweight title. Prochazka vacated the belt after suffering a shoulder injury, to prevent a blockade in the division. He is undefeated since 2016 and boasts a 13-fight win streak.
Apart from the light heavyweight main event, UFC 295 also features several other high-profile matchups, including the interim heavyweight clash between Tom Aspinall and Sergei Pavlovich.
Jiri Prochazka warns Alex Pereira to bring his A game to UFC 295
Jiri Prochazka vs. Alex Pereira is easily one of the most exciting matchups of the year. Most fans and oddsmakers have pegged the fight to be a close affair. Per the UFC website, Alex Pereira is a -122 favorite over Jiri Prochazka (+102).
However, the former light heavyweight kingpin believes he is clearly better than his opponent. During an interview with Daniel Cormier in the lead-up to the event, 'BJP' stated that he is better than 'Poatan' in every facet of the sport:
"I would bring my best [on] Saturday night, and I'm expecting... Alex to [do] the same because his performance push my performance. And I believe I'm better [than him] in every aspect."
Catch Jiri Prochazka's comments below (9:53):