Dana White’s UFC 312 was a major success, and one can get an idea about how big the event was just by seeing the fighter compliance pay given to the UFC fighters. Dricus Du Plessis left UFC 312 with more than just a middleweight title defense; he also earned the highest compliance pay of the night. The South African champion earned $42,000 in promotional compliance pay, four times more than many of the other fighters on the card. Zhang Weili, who defended her strawweight title, earned $42,000, while their opponents, Sean Strickland and Tatiana Suarez, each were paid $32,000.
Meanwhile, veteran Jake Matthews was the only non-titleholder to break five figures, earning $21,000 across his 21-fight UFC career. The compliance pay structure rewards fighters depending on their experience and championship status. Newcomers Quillian Salkilld, Kody Steele, and Tallison Teixeira won the minimum $4,000 payday, while fighters with 6-10 fights, like Justin Tafa and Jimmy Crute, earned $6,000.
Fighters with more than 21 fights, such as Jake Matthews, earned $21,000, showing how longevity in the Dana White-led promotion is financially beneficial. However, it is evident that only champions and title contenders benefit significantly from this method. In total, UFC 312 fighters earned $254,500 in compliance payouts, bringing the year-to-date total to $871,500.
Dricus Du Plessis took out all his anger on Strickland, bud was really the lion in the ring. All the South Africans who thought, cancelling him was a good option they were mistaken.
They fueled Dricus Du Plessis, to win the #UFC312 title. Congratulations son of the soil . pic.twitter.com/Z2EBTWMN4f
— Slaughter. (@BafanaSurprise) February 9, 2025
However, seeing how much fighters like Dricus Du Plessis took home would contribute further to the growing debate regarding fighter compensation, as despite enormous revenue growth in the UFC, the majority of the roster continues to make much less than its champions. While Du Plessis and Weili continue to cash in on their status at the top, the figures reveal the financial struggles many lower-tier fighters still face in the promotion. Especially after Dana White delivers events like UFC 312 that shatter major records.
Dana White’s UFC creates a new record in Australia
While UFC 312 was a financial success for the biggest MMA promotion in the world, it also broke numerous records on a far bigger scale. The event at Qudos Bank Arena set a new record for indoor sports in Australia, generating an incredible $7,687,317 USD in ticket sales. With a sold-out crowd of 18,253, the event proved once again that the UFC’s worldwide development strategy is working, with Australia emerging as a vital market.
The record-breaking sum, which is equivalent to nearly $12.22 million AUD, outperforms any previous indoor sporting event in the country. Despite economic pressures, the UFC’s high ticket demand demonstrates that it continues to attract passionate fans willing to pay a premium to watch elite-level MMA. The event’s star power, which included champions such as Du Plessis and Zhang Weili, surely helped to its tremendous financial success.
However, the rising prices of attending live UFC events have raised debate over affordability. With ticket costs rising alongside the sport’s financial success, many wonder if the UFC risks alienating a segment of its fan base. While Dana White has effectively transformed the UFC into the biggest MMA promotion in the world, finding a balance between record-breaking earnings and accessibility for die-hard fans will be an enormous challenge in the future.
The post Dricus Du Plessis Earns 4x More Than Average UFC 312 Fighter Salary as Dana White’s Compliance Pay Revealed appeared first on EssentiallySports.