How Much Are Alexandre Pantoja and Steve Erceg Earning at UFC 301?

At UFC 301, Alexandre Pantoja will defend his flyweight crown against Steve Erceg. The Brazilian is currently on a 5-fight win streak in the UFC which includes his UFC 290 title victory over Brandon Moreno. Meanwhile, Erceg, who punched his way to title contention with a spectacular knockout of Matt Schnell at UFC Vegas 87, will be looking to continue his remarkable journey that has seen him make his way to facing the champion in just 3 fights in the UFC!

Ahead of their clash, Erceg revealed to Fox Sports Australia that, “I have Italian heritage… So giving me my Rocky moment … that’s not something you should be doing.” And so, as the two fighters get ready to throw down inside the Octagon, fans have been curious to learn more about what their incomes for this event would be. As such, let’s take a look at all we know about the possible payouts for Pantoja and Erceg at UFC 301!

Estimated main event payout at UFC 301 Brazil

At UFC 301, Alexandre Pantoja will be making his second title defense against the Australian, Steve Erceg. According to information available online, when Pantoja took the belt away from Brandon Moreno at UFC 290 in 2023, he earned a base salary of $182,000. Meanwhile, Erceg reportedly earned a base salary of $54,000 when he secured a unanimous decision victory over Alessandro Costa at UFC 295 in his second appearance for the promotion.

As such, with Pantoja now being a champion and Erceg’s title contender status, both fighters will be securing a higher base pay for the UFC 301 clash in Brazil. ‘The Cannibal’, with his champion status, will also qualify for PPV points, which in turn will bump up his payout for the event considerably.

Therefore, according to NYFights.com, it is estimated that Pantoja might secure $750,000 at UFC 301, and Erceg’s payout is estimated to be $200,000 for the event. Yet, it’s important to note that these figures are estimates based on information available and as such, may not accurately reflect the payouts for UFC 301.

Alexandre Pantoja and Steve Erceg’s career earnings

Alexandre Pantoja’s UFC journey is a remarkable story of perseverance and resolve in the face of overwhelming odds. During a past appearance on the MMA Hour, Pantoja had revealed, “…I drive Uber, I did some Jiu-Jitsu tournaments to help, and after the fight with [Brandon] Royval, one week before that fight I’m delivering Uber Eats.”

Nevertheless, the fight against Brandon Royval was a turning point for Pantoja, as he earned a total of $181,000 which included a $50,000 ‘Performance of the Night Bonus’. For his next fight against Alex Perez, ‘The Cannibal’ secured $205,000 which also included another ‘POTN’ bonus as well.

According to information available on MMASalaries.com, Pantoja’s total career earnings in the UFC stand at $1,890,000. On the other hand, Steve Erceg will be making just his 4th Octagon appearance at UFC 301. As such, the Australian fighter has been receiving an estimated base salary of around $50,000 with 2 ‘POTN’ bonuses in his fights at UFC 289 and UFC Vegas 87. 

Do you think Steve Erceg will shock the world and end Alexandre Pantoja’s title reign at UFC 301? Share your thoughts in the comments below!