Israel Adesanya has claimed that he made a substantial amount of money in his very first fight under the UFC banner.
Unlike most, ‘The Last Stylebender’ had already cemented his place as a star through his performances in Glory kickboxing, allowing him to negotiate a huge purse.
Israel Adesanya says he made six figures in his UFC debut
From the moment he first signed with the UFC, Israel Adesanya looked destined for greatness.
Possessing remarkable striking skills and the charisma to go with it, the New Zealand-based fighter arrived in the world’s premier mixed martial arts promotion with a weight of anticipation on his shoulders.
On February 11, 2018, at UFC 221, the Nigerian-born athlete produced a sparkling performance, defeating Rob Wilkinson via TKO to announce himself as a very real threat in the middleweight division.
And he got paid an impressive amount of money for doing so.
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In an interview on the Adam Carolla Show, he said: “For me, I already established myself outside of the UFC as a big name as a kickboxer. I came in with a lot of hype and a big name.
“It was over 50K my first purse because I didn’t do win and loss bonus. I knew I didn’t want that.
“Then I got a 50K bonus US as well. Altogether, I made over six figures in my first UFC fight.”
The host then asked the sportsman whether he’s now making millions for his major contests.
Adesanya replied: “It’s nice now. Every time I fight, I feel like I won the lottery. But it’s good. Look, I’m not gonna say I’m greedy.
“I’m appreciative of what I’m doing in the UFC and my relationship with the UFC, and we still have a good business relationship. But this is where the managers come in, and they have that battle behind the scenes. I just sit there and say, ‘How much are we getting’?”
When will Israel Adesanya next fight in the UFC?
In his last outing, Adesanya was submitted by Dricus Du Plessis in one of the biggest grudge matches the 185-pound division has ever seen.
The loss was a tough one to take for the Kiwi, who not only had to deal with the devastation of losing to a rival, but also the fact that he’s now a long way from reclaiming his world title.
However, in a testament to his fighting spirit, he’s back in the gym, working hard on his comeback.
In a recent interview, the 35-year-old revealed when he intends to make his eagerly-anticipated return.
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