Kamaru Usman is all set to make his long-awaited return to the Octagon. The former UFC Welterweight Champion last competed in a middleweight bout in October 2023 and is currently booked to return to the welterweight division.
“The Nigerian Nightmare” is scheduled to fight Joaquin Buckley next. They’ll headline the UFC Atlanta event at the State Farm Arena in Atlanta, GA, U.S.A., on June 14. Ahead of his upcoming match, Usman’s fight purses and net worth have been one of the topics of discussion among fight fans. Here’s a closer look at the veteran MMA star’s earnings.
How Much Money Has Kamaru Usman Earned From His UFC Fights?
Born in Auchi, Edo, Nigeria, on May 11, 1987, Usman extensively honed his grappling skills as an amateur wrestler. His family shifted to the United States of America when he was eight, followed by his journey in the U.S. high school wrestling circuit.
He earned the honor of being an NCAA Division 2 National Champion and is a three-time NCAA Division 2 All-American in amateur wrestling. Usman’s professional MMA debut came in 2012, following which he eventually participated in the UFC’s TUF (The Ultimate Fighter) reality show. He emerged as the winner of the TUF 21 welterweight tournament in July 2015 and made his UFC main roster debut in December 2015.
As per Celebrity Net Worth, Usman boasts a net worth of $3 million. However, on the contrary, MMA Salaries deemed his net worth to be significantly higher than that number. The report indicated that he’s earned $12,108,833 in his MMA career thus far. Additionally, Usman’s estimated net worth was listed as $10 million.
A notable element at play is Usman’s storied reign as the UFC Welterweight Champion that extended from March 2019 to Aug. 2022. He headlined multiple UFC pay-per-view (PPV) events as a UFC champ, which significantly contributed to boosting his payouts.
Even well after his championship reign, the American fighter of Nigerian descent is regarded as a prominent star in the UFC.
In one of his most high-profile fights, Usman defeated ex-BMF champion Jorge Masvidal via second-round KO in the headlining match of UFC 261 in April 2021. It was a rematch, which witnessed Usman defend his welterweight title and decisively end his feud with Masvidal after having outpointed him in their first encounter.
According to TalkSPORT, Usman secured a $1.5 million payout for his rematch against Masvidal. Of this, $750,000 was his guaranteed fight purse to compete at the event. He also bagged $640,000 as his pay-per-view (PPV) bonus pay, a $60,000 sponsorship payout, and a $50,000 Performance of the Night (POTN) bonus.
Moreover, Usman’s title reign ended with a fifth-round KO in his rematch against Leon Edwards at UFC 278 in August 2022. As reported by MMA Junkie, the PSUAC (Pete Suazo Utah Athletic Commission) disclosed Usman’s purse for the UFC 278 matchup to be $500,000.
Usman suffered a majority decision defeat in his next fight, a trilogy match against Edwards, in March 2023. That was followed by a majority decision loss in his next, and most recent, Octagon appearance. Usman stepped in on 10 days’ notice to face Khamzat Chimaev in a middleweight match at UFC 294 in Oct. 2023. Per BetMGM, Usman bagged a payout of $1,616,000 for the same.