UFC 304 bonuses and aftermath: Paddy Pimblett bags $200K, Manchester live gate revealed, Tom Aspinall joins elite club
UFC 304 just wrapped up. The event produced some entertaining fights, exciting finishes, and results that could have far-reaching consequences on the title pictures of several divisions.
UFC CEO Dana White announced the bonuses and live gate for the event during the post-fight press conference. According to White, UFC 304 generated $6.72 million in live gate.
The UFC typically awards $50,000 Performance of the Night bonuses. However, the amount was doubled after King Green urged White to bump it during the pre-fight press conference.
Interim UFC heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall, who defeated Curtis Blaydes by first-round KO to successfully secure the first defense of his title in the co-main event, earned a $100,000 bonus for his efforts.
Aspinall also joined the rare elite club of interim champions who defended the title. He is the second interim UFC heavyweight champion to defend the title after Andrei Arlovski did so against Justin Eilers in June 2005. Aspinall is currently 8-1 in the UFC and this was his seventh Performance of the Night bonus.
British heavyweight Mick Parkin, who finished Lucasz Brzeski in the first round to score his first UFC knockout, also earned a $100,000 bonus.
One of the most popular British fighters on the UFC roster, Paddy Pimblett, received a $200,000 bonus for his first-round submission win over Green. It was the last fight on Pimblett's UFC contract and it was speculated that the outcome would impact his negotiation power with the promotion.
Pimblett took the fight to the ground early and transitioned through several submissions before securing a tight arm triangle choke. Green tried to escape but passed out after a few seconds.
Watch Dana White announce the bonuses and live gate below [0:00:01]:
According to White, Pimblett received an extra $100,000 bonus for scoring an impressive finish after seven straight fights went the distance.
"You can thank everybody on this card for [Pimblett getting $200,000 bonus]. Nobody fought any harder, there was no sense of urgency, 'Holy sh**. I want the $100,000.' Seven straight decisions..." [3:09]
White added that he would not bump the post-fight bonuses going forward.