UFC 331 delivered plenty of action inside Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, but the event also produced an interesting talking point outside the Octagon: Alexandre Pantoja earned the highest disclosed payout on the card despite losing to champion Joshua Van.
According to the disclosed figures released by the California State Athletic Commission, Pantoja was scheduled to receive $650,000, while Van was set for $500,000. The two fighters headlined UFC 331 in a rematch for the UFC flyweight championship on September 19.
Van ultimately retained his title after winning a unanimous decision in a competitive five-round fight. The UFC later awarded the championship bout Fight of the Night, adding another financial boost for both fighters.
The disclosed figures, however, should not be confused with a fighter’s complete earnings from the event. UFC contracts can include performance bonuses, discretionary bonuses, sponsorship-related payments and other agreements that are not reflected in the athletic commission’s disclosed figures.
Alexandre Pantoja leads the UFC 331 salary list
Pantoja’s $650,000 disclosed purse was the largest listed amount at UFC 331.
The former flyweight champion entered the rematch looking to reclaim the title after his first meeting with Van ended prematurely because of an elbow injury. UFC had previously confirmed that Van won the championship at UFC 323 after Pantoja was forced out just 26 seconds into their first fight.
This time, there was no early stoppage.
Van and Pantoja went five rounds, with the champion eventually getting his hand raised. UFC’s official account of the fight noted that Pantoja had success with his grappling early, while Van showed his boxing and finished strongly in the fifth round.
That performance was enough for Van to retain the belt and collect a disclosed $500,000 purse.
So, although Pantoja earned more in disclosed pay, Van left Los Angeles with the UFC flyweight championship still around his waist.
Joshua Van was not the highest-paid fighter
The fact that the champion was not the highest-paid fighter on the disclosed list makes the UFC 331 salary breakdown particularly interesting.
Van’s $500,000 was the second-highest disclosed amount, followed by several fighters receiving six-figure payouts.
Arman Tsarukyan was scheduled to make $350,000, while Patricio “Pitbull” Freire and Marlon Vera were each listed at $400,000.
Tsarukyan also had a huge night inside the Octagon. The lightweight contender stopped Mauricio Ruffy with a first-round knockout after landing a devastating elbow. The UFC awarded Tsarukyan a Performance of the Night bonus for the finish.
Ruffy’s disclosed deal was structured differently. He was listed at $110,000 to show plus $110,000 if victorious, meaning his disclosed payout depended on the result.
UFC 331 disclosed salaries
Here is the complete disclosed payout list released for the event:
| Fighter | Disclosed payout |
|---|---|
| Alexandre Pantoja | $650,000 |
| Joshua Van | $500,000 |
| Patricio Freire | $400,000 |
| Marlon Vera | $400,000 |
| Arman Tsarukyan | $350,000 |
| Tai Tuivasa | $350,000 |
| Alonzo Menifield | $310,000 |
| Edmen Shahbazyan | $250,000 |
| Robelis Despaigne | $200,000 |
| Gable Steveson | $160,000 |
| Joanderson Brito | $158,000 |
| Casey O’Neill | $132,000 |
| Mauricio Ruffy | $110,000 |
| Charles Jourdain | $108,000 |
| Brunno Ferreira | $95,000 |
| Giga Chikadze | $93,000 |
| Doo Ho Choi | $85,000 |
| Sean Sharaf | $60,000 |
| Michael Aswell | $60,000 |
| Iwo Baraniewski | $50,000 |
| Eduarda Moura | $33,000 |
| Ryan Gandra | $28,000 |
| Ozzy Diaz | $25,000 |
| JooSang Yoo | $12,000 |
Several fighters were on contracts containing separate show and win amounts. For example, Freire was listed at $200,000 to show plus $200,000 to win, while Menifield was listed at $155,000 to show plus another $155,000 for a victory.
Because these figures are disclosed athletic commission amounts, they provide a useful look at the guaranteed or contracted money reported for the event, but they do not necessarily represent everything a fighter earned.
Bonuses could change the final numbers
This is where the UFC 331 salary story gets more interesting.
The disclosed commission figures do not include performance or discretionary bonuses, and they also do not necessarily include side letters or other separate agreements.
The UFC officially announced its post-fight bonuses after the event.
Van and Pantoja received Fight of the Night honors following their five-round championship battle. Tsarukyan received a Performance of the Night bonus for his knockout of Ruffy, while Casey O’Neill also earned a Performance of the Night bonus after submitting Eduarda Moura with a first-round armbar.
Sean Sharaf also received a special “MobLand” bonus after knocking out Olympic wrestling gold medalist Gable Steveson in just 12 seconds. It was Sharaf’s first UFC victory and Steveson’s first professional defeat.
That means the disclosed salary list does not tell the complete financial story of UFC 331.
Gable Steveson’s $160,000 payout stands out
One of the more eye-catching numbers on the list belongs to Gable Steveson.
The Olympic gold medalist was listed at $160,000 despite suffering a spectacular 12-second knockout loss to Sean Sharaf.
Sharaf’s disclosed payout was $60,000, listed as $30,000 to show plus $30,000 to win.
The result was one of the biggest surprises of the night. UFC described Sharaf’s victory as one of the largest upsets in the promotion’s history, while his knockout also earned the special bonus connected to the “MobLand” promotion.
UFC 331 was a major night in Los Angeles
The financial numbers came after a major event for the UFC at Crypto.com Arena.
According to the UFC, UFC 331 drew an attendance of 19,357 and generated $8,228,105 in gross total revenue, making it the highest-grossing event in Crypto.com Arena history.
The card also delivered several memorable finishes, including Tsarukyan’s knockout, O’Neill’s armbar submission and Sharaf’s stunning victory over Steveson.
But the biggest result remained Van’s successful title defense.
The 24-year-old champion survived Pantoja’s grappling pressure and produced a strong finish to the fight, securing the unanimous decision and keeping the UFC flyweight championship.
For Pantoja, meanwhile, the night produced the highest disclosed payday of the entire card — but not the result he wanted.
That contrast is what makes the UFC 331 salaries particularly fascinating. The fighter with the biggest disclosed purse was not the champion, and the champion did not necessarily walk away with the event’s biggest overall earnings once bonuses and undisclosed contractual payments are considered.
For fans trying to understand UFC fighter salaries, that distinction is important. A disclosed athletic commission purse is only part of the picture, and the final amount earned by a fighter can be considerably more complicated.
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