UFC 333 salary and bonuses: Volkanovski, Yan and Dvalishvili lead payouts
Alexander Volkanovski, Petr Yan and Merab Dvalishvili headline UFC 333 salary and bonuses with fighter payout estimates
UFC 333 delivered a memorable night of championship action in Abu Dhabi, with Alexander Volkanovski, Petr Yan, Merab Dvalishvili and Lone’er Kavanagh among the biggest financial winners. The event at Etihad Arena featured two major title fights, several impressive finishes and additional rewards for fighters who made their performances count inside the Octagon.
The UFC 333 salary and bonuses breakdown has attracted attention after four fighters reportedly received $100,000 post-fight awards. Five additional fighters earned $25,000 finish incentives after securing victories without winning one of the main bonus awards.
Volkanovski headlined the card with a second-round TKO victory over previously undefeated Movsar Evloev, while Yan retained his bantamweight championship after a hard-fought unanimous decision against Dvalishvili. However, the reported bonus figures tell only part of the story, as the UFC does not publicly disclose every fighter’s complete contractual earnings.
UFC 333 bonus winners: Who received $100,000?
The biggest reported bonus payments went to four fighters following the event. Yan and Dvalishvili shared Fight of the Night honors, while Volkanovski and Kavanagh received Performance of the Night awards.
UFC 333 main bonus payouts
| Award | Fighter | Reported bonus |
|---|---|---|
| Fight of the Night | Petr Yan | $100,000 |
| Fight of the Night | Merab Dvalishvili | $100,000 |
| Performance of the Night | Alexander Volkanovski | $100,000 |
| Performance of the Night | Lone’er Kavanagh | $100,000 |
| Total | Four fighters | $400,000 |
Fight of the Night: Petr Yan and Merab Dvalishvili — $100,000 each
Yan and Dvalishvili produced one of the evening’s most competitive contests in their bantamweight title trilogy. Dvalishvili started aggressively, repeatedly attempting takedowns and maintaining relentless pressure during the opening rounds.
Yan gradually found his rhythm, landing cleaner combinations and taking advantage as his opponent’s pace began to drop. The champion finished strongly across the closing rounds to secure a unanimous decision victory, with all three judges scoring the fight 48-47.
Although Dvalishvili lost the championship contest, his performance earned him the same $100,000 Fight of the Night bonus as Yan.
Performance of the Night: Alexander Volkanovski — $100,000
Volkanovski delivered the headline result by stopping Evloev at 4:54 of the second round. The Australian featherweight champion initially faced a competitive challenge before finding his range and increasing the damage with accurate combinations.
A clean right hand hurt Evloev late in the second round, allowing Volkanovski to follow up with strikes on the ground and force the stoppage. The result handed Evloev his first professional defeat and strengthened Volkanovski’s position among the division’s leading champions.
Performance of the Night: Lone’er Kavanagh — $100,000
Kavanagh also secured a $100,000 award after defeating Ramazan Temirov by TKO in the opening round. His speed, accuracy and increasingly effective combinations proved too much for Temirov, who was unable to withstand the late barrage.
The victory was another important step for Kavanagh, who continues to build his reputation as a rising contender in the flyweight division.
Five fighters earn additional $25,000 finish bonuses
Beyond the four major awards, five other fighters reportedly received $25,000 incentives for finishing their opponents.
UFC 333 finish bonus payout table
| Fighter | Opponent | Reported bonus |
|---|---|---|
| Aaron Pico | Losene Keita | $25,000 |
| Dominick Reyes | Azamat Murzakanov | $25,000 |
| Abdul Rakhman Yakhyaev | Nikita Krylov | $25,000 |
| Abus Magomedov | Cam Rowston | $25,000 |
| Kody Steele | Noah Gugnon | $25,000 |
| Total | Five fighters | $125,000 |
Aaron Pico stopped Losene Keita in the first round after connecting with a powerful right hand and following up with ground strikes. The finish marked Pico’s first stoppage victory inside the UFC.
Dominick Reyes produced another standout moment by knocking out Azamat Murzakanov in the opening round. A head kick damaged Murzakanov, and Reyes followed with a clean left hand to secure the finish.
Abdul Rakhman Yakhyaev stopped Nikita Krylov with a first-round TKO after taking control of their exchange and unleashing heavy strikes. Abus Magomedov also finished Cam Rowston in the opening round, using a guillotine choke to end the contest.
Kody Steele completed the list of finish-bonus recipients with a first-round knockout victory over Noah Gugnon.
These incentives reward fighters who secure finishes but do not receive one of the main post-fight awards.
UFC 333 salary estimates: How much did the fighters make?
While the bonus payments are reported figures, the fighters’ complete UFC 333 salaries remain less certain. Contractual purses, sponsorship income and other compensation are not always publicly available, making precise earnings difficult to establish.
The following figures are estimates supplied in the available payout breakdown. They should not be treated as official UFC salary disclosures.
UFC 333 fighter payout table
| Fighter | Result | Compliance pay | Bonus | Verified minimum* | Estimated total earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alexander Volkanovski | Win, TKO R2 | $42,000 | $100,000 | $142,000 | ~$1,085,000 |
| Movsar Evloev | Loss, TKO R2 | $32,000 | — | $32,000 | ~$159,000 |
| Petr Yan | Win, unanimous decision | $42,000 | $100,000 | $142,000 | ~$820,000 |
| Merab Dvalishvili | Loss, unanimous decision | $32,000 | $100,000 | $132,000 | ~$450,000 |
| Lone’er Kavanagh | Win, TKO R1 | $6,000 | $100,000 | $106,000 | ~$266,000 |
| Ramazan Temirov | Loss, TKO R1 | $4,500 | — | $4,500 | ~$61,000 |
| Alexander Volkov | Win, unanimous decision | $16,000 | — | $16,000 | ~$257,000 |
| Rizvan Kuniev | Loss, unanimous decision | $4,500 | — | $4,500 | ~$55,000 |
| Aaron Pico | Win, TKO R1 | $4,000 | $25,000 | $29,000 | ~$83,000 |
| Losene Keita | Loss, TKO R1 | $4,000 | — | $4,000 | ~$71,000 |
Verified minimum refers to the sum of the compliance payment and listed bonus in the supplied breakdown. These are not complete contractual purses or independently verified total earnings. The available table covers selected fighters, not the entire card.
The reported estimates place Volkanovski’s total earnings at approximately $1.085 million, including his $100,000 bonus. Yan’s estimated total stands at around $820,000, while Dvalishvili’s is approximately $450,000.
Kavanagh’s estimated earnings are around $266,000, including his performance award. These figures are estimates rather than officially confirmed payouts and should not be confused with guaranteed contractual salaries.
The reported compliance payments provide another reference point. Volkanovski received $42,000 in compliance pay, while Evloev received $32,000. Yan and Dvalishvili were also listed at $42,000 and $32,000, respectively, before their respective bonus payments.
For fighters lower on the card, finish incentives can make a meaningful difference to their reported earnings. Pico, for example, had $4,000 in compliance pay listed alongside his $25,000 finish bonus, giving him a reported minimum of $29,000 before any other compensation.
UFC 333 bonuses: Total money awarded
Combining the four major awards with the five additional finish incentives gives the following reported bonus breakdown.
| Bonus category | Number of recipients | Amount per fighter | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fight of the Night | 2 | $100,000 | $200,000 |
| Performance of the Night | 2 | $100,000 | $200,000 |
| Additional finish incentives | 5 | $25,000 | $125,000 |
| Total | 9 | — | $525,000 |
The combined reported awards and incentives total $525,000, separate from other fighter compensation. This calculation assumes all nine listed recipients received the stated amounts.
What UFC 333 bonuses mean for fighters
UFC 333 demonstrated how a decisive finish or an entertaining championship contest can significantly increase a fighter’s earnings. The four $100,000 awards represented $400,000 in major bonuses, while the five additional $25,000 finish incentives added another $125,000.
For established champions such as Volkanovski and Yan, these bonuses add to the financial rewards of successful title fights. For emerging names such as Kavanagh and Pico, they provide an additional incentive while helping build momentum for future fights.
The figures also underline an important distinction: a fighter’s reported bonus is not the same as their total salary. Contractual pay, sponsorship arrangements and other payments can affect the final amount, and estimates may differ from the actual money received.
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