Although Israel Adesanya faced defeat against Dricus du Plessis in an exhilarating main event at UFC 305, it has been reported that he earned a higher payout than the current champion.

The match, held at the RAC Arena in Perth, Australia, marked Du Plessis's first successful defense of the UFC Middleweight Championship, culminating in Adesanya tapping out in the fourth round.

This fight was historically significant as it was the first UFC title bout between two African fighters, resulting in considerable financial gains for both athletes.

According to The Sportster, Adesanya, a former two-time middleweight champion, had a guaranteed purse of $750,000, while Du Plessis received $500,000. With additional earnings from pay-per-view sales, both fighters are anticipated to exceed seven figures in total earnings, although Adesanya's share is expected to be greater due to his established reputation and accomplishments in the sport.

Prior to the fight, Du Plessis stirred controversy by declaring himself the "first real African UFC champion," a statement that seemed to undermine previous African titleholders like Adesanya, Kamaru Usman, and Francis Ngannou, who no longer live on the continent. Adesanya found this comment offensive, perceiving it as a slight against his heritage.

Nevertheless, after winning via rear naked choke, Du Plessis offered an apology, acknowledging Adesanya as a legend and clarifying that he did not mean to disrespect his opponent's African identity.

The UFC 305 event also featured significant earnings for other fighters; in the co-main event, Kai Kara-France received a $50,000 bonus in addition to his $300,000 base salary for his first-round knockout of Steve Erceg, who earned $75,000.

Dan Hooker and Mateusz Gamrot, who participated in an engaging lightweight matchup, each received $50,000 bonuses on top of their respective base salaries of $350,000 and $110,000.

Israel Adesanya is a highly accomplished professional mixed martial artist, kickboxer, and former boxer of Nigerian-New Zealand descent.

He is currently an active competitor in the Middleweight division of the renowned Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), where he holds the distinction of being a former two-time UFC Middleweight Champion.

Additionally, Adesanya has made a name for himself in the world of kickboxing, having previously challenged for the prestigious Glory Middleweight Championship title.

As of January 23, 2024, he occupies the esteemed position of #2 in the UFC middleweight rankings, while also holding the impressive #15 spot in the UFC men’s pound-for-pound rankings as of August 20, 2024.