Dana White’s highly-hyped “Once-in-a-Lifetime” event might be grabbing headlines, but when it comes to fighter payouts, it’s no match for the big bucks in boxing. Despite all the promotion, White’s event falls short compared to Canelo Alvarez’s latest fight, where Canelo is expected to take home a whopping $35 million.
While White may have promised an unforgettable show, the numbers don’t lie—Canelo’s million-dollar payday has left the UFC event in the dust when it comes to fighter earnings. It just goes to show, boxing still holds the crown for those massive fight purses.
Besides, the UFC road to put on a show at the Sphere has been filled with challenges; from $20 million in investment to lagging ticket sales.
All this while competing head-to-head with the biggest name in boxing. It is well known that the biggest stars in the UFC make nowhere close to what the big names in boxing make. However, the estimates for the upcoming event show just how big the gap is.
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In his recent fight against Jaime Munguia, Canelo reportedly earned $35 million, according to journalist Dan Rafael. A similar payout is expected for his upcoming bout against Berlanga, not including additional earnings from pay-per-view (PPV) sales.
Now UFC’s bantamweight champion and UFC Noche main eventer Sean O’Malley could be in for his biggest payday yet. At UFC 299, he reportedly earned $2.3 million, including his PPV share, from his win over Marlon Vera. For UFC 306, it’s expected that he could take home between $2.5 million and $3 million.
To put that into context, Canelo is set to make more than 10x that.
However, paying fighters a fair wage is not something Dana White has ever concerned himself with. Besides, right now, he’s too busy selling the UFC Noche card to fans.
Dana White sells Sphere event as ‘Once-in-a-lifetime’
Dana White is sparing no expense for UFC 306 at the Sphere in Las Vegas, promising fans an experience like never before. However, despite the hype and White’s claim that “you will never see anything like this in your life,” ticket sales are reportedly lagging.
The event, set for Mexican Independence Day on September 14, is competing with the Canelo Alvarez vs. Edgar Berlanga boxing card at MGM Grand that same night. Additionally, higher-than-usual ticket prices for the pay-per-view could be a factor.
White, however, is confident that the spectacle he’s putting together will blow people away.
“It’s going to be the most incredible thing anyone has ever seen in sports,” White said. He teased fans with talk of a star-studded team and a unique live experience that will be nearly impossible to replicate.
However, fans have remained unconvinced, primarily due to the cheapest tickets for the arena costing $3000. Of course, since the ticket sales didn’t line up with White’s expectations, they had to reduce them to $500.
