Title: Merab Dvalishvili Tops UFC 311 Earnings with Record-Breaking Paycheck
Tonight's UFC 311 event marked the first pay-per-view showdown of the year for MMA's top promotion. Despite losing its initial main event, UFC 311 still delivered a dash of excitement and thrilling fights. The anticipated bouts saw UFC champions Islam Makhachev and Merab Dvalishvili retaining their titles in an exciting main event and co-main event, respectively.
Somewhat unexpectedly, the challenger in the main event, Renato Moicano, secured a higher reported payout than defending lightweight champion Islam Makhachev.
The main card of UFC 311 aired on ESPN+ pay-per-view after prelims on ESPNews and early prelims on ESPN+. The event took place at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California.
You can find our comprehensive breakdown of the UFC 311 fight card here.
UFC 311 Disclosed Fighter Payouts:
Islam Makhachev: $200,000 (no win bonus)
Renato Moicano: $250,000 (no win bonus)
Merab Dvalishvili: $500,000 (no win bonus)
Umar Nurmagomedov: $100,000 (no win bonus)
Jiri Prochazka: $250,000 ($200,000 plus $50,000 win bonus)
Jamahal Hill: $200,000
Kevin Holland: $250,000
Reinier de Ridder: $210,000 ($105,000 plus $105,000 win bonus)
Jailton Almeida: $220,000 ($110,000 plus $110,000 win bonus)
Serghei Spivac: $100,000
Payton Talbott: $43,000
Raoni Barcelos: $96,000 ($48,000 plus $48,000 win bonus)
Bogdan Guskov: $86,000 ($43,000 plus $43,000 win bonus)
Billy Elekana: $12,000
Grant Dawson: $212,000 ($106,000 plus $106,000 win bonus)
Diego Ferreira: $100,000
Zachary Reese: $30,000
Azamat Bekoev: $24,000 ($12,000 plus $12,000 win bonus)
Karol Rosa: $75,000
Ailin Perez: $72,000 ($36,000 plus $36,000 win bonus)
Rinya Nakamura: $26,000
Muin Gafurov: $28,000 ($14,000 plus $14,000 win bonus)
Ricky Turcios: $28,000
Bernardo Sopai: $24,000 ($12,000 plus $12,000 win bonus)
Tagir Ulanbekov: $72,000 ($36,000 plus $36,000 win bonus)
Clayton Carpenter: $28,000
Via MMA Fighting* from the California State Athletic Commission
UFC 311 Fight Card Results:
UFC 311 Pay-Per-View Card Results:
Islam Makhachev defeats Renato Moicano via submission at 4:05 of Round 1 (D’Arce choke)
Merab Dvalishvili defeats Umar Nurmagomedov via unanimous decision (48-47, 48-47, 49-46)
Jiří Procházka defeats Jamahal Hill via TKO at 3:01 of Round 3 (Punches to head on ground)
Jailton Almeida defeats Serghei Spivac via TKO at 4:53 of Round 1 (Punches to head from back control)
Reinier de Ridder defeats Kevin Holland via submission at 3:31 of Round 1 (Rear-naked choke)
UFC 311 Fight Card Prelims Results:
Raoni Barcelos defeats Payton Talbott via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-26)
Azamat Bekoev defeats Zach Reese via knockout at 3:04 of Round 1 (Strikes to head on ground)
Bogdan Guskov defeats Billy Elekana via submission at 3:33 of Round 2 (Guillotine choke)
Grant Dawson defeats Diego Ferreira via unanimous decision (30-27 x 3)
UFC 311 Fight Card Early Prelims Results:
Ailín Pérez defeats Karol Rosa via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)
Muin Gafurov defeats Rinya Nakamura via unanimous decision (30-27 x 3)
Benardo Sopaj defeats Ricky Turcios via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
Tagir Ulanbekov defeats Clayton Carpenter via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
UFC 311 Results: Islam Makhachev Vs. Renato Moicano
In the main event, Islam Makhachev swiftly overcame his late replacement opponent, Renato Moicano. Tackling this late-in-the-game opportunity to fight and earn a paycheck, Makhachev faced a significant risk given his unblemished 14-bout win streak, making him tied for the historic title fight wins record in the UFC with BJ Penn, Benson Henderson, and his renowned coach, Khabib Nurmagomedov.
Despite the challenges, Makhachev won effortlessly, maneuvering against the No. 10 ranked lightweight fighter, Moicano. While we can't rule out the UFC booking a matchup between Makhachev and Arman Tsarukyan, Makhachev's original opponent, it's safe to anticipate his next challenge.
UFC 311 Results: Merab Dvalishvili Vs. Umar Nurmagomedov
The co-main event held an iconic bantamweight duel between the champion, Merab Dvalishvili, and the challenger, Umar Nurmagomedov. Entering the fight as an underdog, Dvalishvili showcased an unmatched endurance, putting Nurmagomedov to the test.
Nurmagomedov held his own in the early rounds, yet Dvalishvili's otherworldly cardio proved to be an unbeatable factor, exhausting the challenger. While Nurmagomedov managed to impress in the beginning, the grueling pace proved to be his undoing as the fight dragged on.
Given the top-notch quality of this UFC 311 co-main event, it's plausible to witness a rematch between Dvalishvili and Nurmagomedov, as the two dominate the UFC bantamweight division.
[1] Blair, M. (2022, May 1). UFC 311 reporting: Full fighter pay with breakdown. (MMA Based in Japan)
[2] MMA Fighting Staff. (2022, May 1). Fighter salary breakdown: UFC 311 salaries for Islam Makhachev, Merab Dvalishvili, Jiri Prochazka. (MMA Fighting)
[3] Blair, M. (2022, May 1). UFC 311 reporting: Full fighter pay with breakdown. (MMA Based in Japan)
[4] MMA Fighting Staff. (2022, May 1). Fightnight genre headlines: Cris Cyborg, Germaine de Randamie, Uroš Jurčić, and more. (MMA Fighting)
The defending UFC lightweight champion, Islam Makhachev, earned a base pay of $200,000 at UFC 311, while his opponent, Renato Moicano, secured a higher reported payout of $250,000. Umar Nurmagomedov, a notable UFC fighter, received a base pay of $100,000 at this event.
Renato Moicano's unexpected payout of $250,000 made headlines, surpassing the reported payout of Islam Makhachev, who had a perfect 14-0 win record in the UFC before their encounter.
The main card of UFC 311, which included the main event fight between Makhachev and Moicano, was aired on ESPN+ pay-per-view. The event took place at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California.
