This pay per view card (on November 6, 2021) is highlighted by two title fights. In the main event, pound for pound king Kamaru Usman defends his belt against the loud mouthed Colby Covington. This is a rematch of the 2019 bout that Usman won by knockout. In the comain event, we have another rematch as “Thug” Rose Namajunas takes on former champion Zhang Weili. Weili looks to get some revenge for the vicious head kick knockout loss that Namajunas gave her in their last fight. Kicking off the main card will be an explosive fight between former interim champion Justin Gaethje and former title contender Michael Chandler.
Update: UFC 268 was one for the ages with thrilling fights up and down the card. Usman defended his belt against a game Colby Covington. Usman started off controlling the fight with his jab but Covington turned the tide in rounds 3 and 4. The fight appeared to come down to the last round which Usman was able to control to retain his title. Namajunas took a five round split decision against former champion Zhang Weili. It was back and forth throughout but a 5th round takedown by Namajunas secured the victory. In the main card opener Justin Gaethje and Michael Chandler threw down in a “Fight of the Year” candidate. Both former D1 Wrestlers were throwing bombs at each other and were also involved in some exciting grappling scrambles. In the final round Chandler was walking towards Gaethje inviting him to punch him in the face – absolute insanity. Gaethje ended up taking the unanimous decision.
$50k bonuses went to Gaethje/Chandler (Fight of the Night), Chris Barnett, Marlon Vera, Alex Pereira, and Bobby Green.
Note that all numbers here are estimates for the purposes of entertainment. We provide our numbers using previous known payouts, drawing power and contract trends.
Assumptions:
Sports Business Journal has reported that UFC 268 did approximately 700,000 PPV Buys so our numbers have been updated (from our estimate of 650,000) to reflect these numbers.
Assuming Namajunas and Usman are getting paid using the standard PPV formula.
Assuming Namajunas, Usman, Gaethje, Chandler, Covington and Frankie Edgar are getting paid a flat rate with no win bonus.
Kamaru Usman:
$1,000,000 flat pay
$42,000 Venum Sponsorship
$850,000 PPV Share
$1,892,000 Total Payout
Colby Covington:
$600,000 flat pay
$32,000 Venum Sponsorship
$632,000 Total Payout
Rose Namajunas:
$250,000 flat pay
$42,000 Venum Sponsorship
$850,000 PPV Share
$1,142,000 Total Payout
Zhang Weili
$200,000 base pay
$32,000 Venum Sponsorship
$232,000 Total Payout
Frankie Edgar
$250,000 flat pay
$21,000 Venum Sponsorship
$271,000 Total Payout
Marlon Vera
$100,000 base pay
$100,000 win bonus
$16,000 Venum Sponsorship
$50,000 Performance of the Night
$266,000 Total Payout
Justin Gaethje
$500,000 flat pay
$6,000 Venum Sponsorship
$50,000 Fight of the Night
$556,000 Total Payout
Michael Chandler
$350,000 flat pay
$50,000 Fight of the Night
$4,000 Venum Sponsorship
$404,000 Total Payout
Total Payout for UFC 268: $6,873,000
Venum (Sponsorship) Fighter payout: $319,000
Performance Bonus money paid out: $300,000 (does not include locker room bonuses)
UFC 268 Detailed Payouts
Fighter | Opponent | Date | Event | Result | Base Salary | Win Bonus | PPV Buys | PPV Payout (est) | Performance Bonus | Sponsorship | Total | Comments |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Alex Pereira | Andreas Michailidis | 11/6/2021 | UFC 268 | W | $50,000 | $50,000 | $50,000 | $4,000 | $154,000 | |||
Kamaru Usman | Colby Covington | 11/6/2021 | UFC 268 | W | $1,000,000 | $0 | 700,000 | $850,000 | $42,000 | $1,892,000 | ||
Justin Gaethje | Michael Chandler | 11/6/2021 | UFC 268 | W | $500,000 | $0 | $50,000 | $6,000 | $556,000 | |||
Colby Covington | Kamaru Usman | 11/6/2021 | UFC 268 | L | $600,000 | $0 | $32,000 | $632,000 | ||||
Michael Chandler | Justin Gaethje | 11/6/2021 | UFC 268 | L | $350,000 | $0 | $50,000 | $4,000 | $404,000 | |||
Frankie Edgar | Marlon Vera | 11/6/2021 | UFC 268 | L | $250,000 | $0 | $21,000 | $271,000 | ||||
Shane Burgos | Billy Quarantillo | 11/6/2021 | UFC 268 | W | $80,000 | $80,000 | $6,000 | $166,000 | ||||
Al Iaquinta | Bobby Green | 11/6/2021 | UFC 268 | L | $100,000 | $0 | $11,000 | $111,000 | ||||
Rose Namajunas | Zhang Weili | 11/6/2021 | UFC 268 | W | $250,000 | $0 | 700,000 | $850,000 | $42,000 | $1,142,000 | ||
Zhang Weili | Rose Namajunas | 11/6/2021 | UFC 268 | L | $200,000 | $0 | $32,000 | $232,000 | ||||
Marlon Vera | Frankie Edgar | 11/6/2021 | UFC 268 | W | $100,000 | $100,000 | $50,000 | $16,000 | $266,000 | |||
Billy Quarantillo | Shane Burgos | 11/6/2021 | UFC 268 | L | $40,000 | $0 | $6,000 | $46,000 | ||||
Andreas Michailidis | Alex Pereira | 11/6/2021 | UFC 268 | L | $30,000 | $0 | $4,000 | $34,000 | ||||
Bobby Green | Al Iaquinta | 11/6/2021 | UFC 268 | W | $72,000 | $72,000 | $50,000 | $16,000 | $210,000 | |||
Phil Hawes | Chris Curtis | 11/6/2021 | UFC 268 | L | $40,000 | $0 | $6,000 | $46,000 | ||||
Chris Curtis | Phil Hawes | 11/6/2021 | UFC 268 | W | $20,000 | $20,000 | $4,000 | $44,000 | ||||
Edmen Shahbazyan | Nassourdine Imavov | 11/6/2021 | UFC 268 | L | $50,000 | $0 | $6,000 | $56,000 | ||||
Nassourdine Imavov | Edmen Shahbazyan | 11/6/2021 | UFC 268 | W | $30,000 | $30,000 | $4,500 | $64,500 | ||||
Ian Garry | Jordan Williams | 11/6/2021 | UFC 268 | W | $20,000 | $20,000 | $4,000 | $44,000 | ||||
Jordan Williams | Ian Garry | 11/6/2021 | UFC 268 | L | $24,000 | $0 | $6,000 | $30,000 | ||||
Gian Villante | Chris Barnett | 11/6/2021 | UFC 268 | L | $80,000 | $0 | $16,000 | $96,000 | ||||
Chris Barnett | Gian Villante | 11/6/2021 | UFC 268 | W | $24,000 | $24,000 | $50,000 | $4,000 | $102,000 | |||
Dustin Jacoby | John Allan | 11/6/2021 | UFC 268 | W | $40,000 | $40,000 | $6,000 | $86,000 | ||||
John Allan | Dustin Jacoby | 11/6/2021 | UFC 268 | L | $20,000 | $0 | $4,000 | $24,000 | ||||
Melsik Baghdasaryan | Bruno Souza | 11/6/2021 | UFC 268 | W | $33,200 | $30,000 | $4,000 | $67,200 | ||||
Bruno Souza | Melsik Baghdasaryan | 11/6/2021 | UFC 268 | L | $12,800 | $0 | $4,000 | $16,800 | Fined 20% | |||
CJ Vergara | Ode' Osbourne | 11/6/2021 | UFC 268 | L | $9,600 | $0 | $4,000 | $13,600 | Fined 20% | |||
Ode' Osbourne | CJ Vergara | 11/6/2021 | UFC 268 | W | $32,400 | $30,000 | $4,500 | $66,900 |