How much are Khamzat Chimaev and Kamaru Usman getting paid for UFC 294? Possible payouts revealed
UFC 294 is set to go ahead this weekend in Abu Dhabi after Khamzat Chimaev, Kamaru Usman, Alexander Volkanovski and Islam Makhachev all successfully hit the scales and made their respective weights.
Volkanovski will face Makhachev in a rematch of their February bout, after the Australian agreed to step in on short notice for the injured Charles Oliveira. The pair will once again face-off for the lightweight title, with fans hoping their second clash proves to be another Fight of the Year contender like the first.
For Kamaru Usman, the former welterweight kingpin also stepped in on short notice after Paulo Costa was ruled out of facing Khamzat Chimaev. Their bout will be fought at 185lbs, with Dana White confirming that the winner will go on to face Sean Strickland for the middleweight title in 2024.
Ahead of the epic main and co-main event this weekend, fans have been curious to know how much the fighters are set to earn on one of the biggest cards of the year.
Per The Sports Daily, both Makhachev and Volkanovski could be set to earn the same seven-figure sum for their main-event bout. It is believed both men will take home $1,011,000. Their expected fee consists of a base pay of $1 million, with the additional $11,000 as incentive pay.
For the co-main event, Usman and Chimaev are expected to take home over $500,000 each for their contest.
The four men may also potentially earn more than their standard rate, should they qualify for pay-per-view points or earn a bonus from Dana White.
Eric Nicksick impressed with Khamzat Chimaev's fighting style ahead of UFC 294
Khamzat Chimaev is set to make his UFC return after over a year away, when he faces Kamaru Usman at UFC 294 this weekend.
Ahead of the return of 'Borz', Eric Nicksick, the head coach of Xtreme Couture Mixed Martial Arts gym, broke down his fighting style and explained what fans should expect when he steps back into the octagon.
According to Nicksick, who spoke on Morning Kombat with Luke Thomas and Brian Campbell, he was "blown away" by Khamzat Chimaev's ability to read his opponent and blend his striking and wrestling:
"[What] I was blown away at by Khamzat was his blend between his striking and his wrestling and that little bit of that level feint where my product placement goes, my high lows, and he's collecting data. He's trying to see when I feint and level change, is he looking to underhook? Is he looking to down block? Is he looking to frame? What is he doing? What data am I collecting?"
Catch Nicksick's comments regarding Khamzat Chimaev here: