Steveson Nets $100K More Than Sharaf Despite KO Loss

Gable Steveson walked away with $160,000 from UFC 331 despite suffering a 12-second knockout loss to Sean Sharaf, who earned $60,000 total for the stunning upset.

The disclosed payouts, reported by MMA Junkie, show Steveson collected his full base salary even after the disastrous debut on the main card. Sharaf earned $30,000 to show and another $30,000 as a win bonus, meaning the former Olympic gold medalist made more than two and a half times what his opponent took home for ending the fight in record time.

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UFC 331 Purse Breakdown

Headliner Alexandre Pantoja led all disclosed pay with $650,000, while challenger Joshua Van earned $500,000. Co-main event winner Arman Tsarukyan collected $350,000, and Mauricio Ruffy netted $110,000 in the loss. Patricio Freire banked $400,000 for his knockout of Doo Ho Choi, who made $85,000.

Further down the card, Marlon Vera and Alonzo Menifield each took home $400,000 and $310,000 respectively after securing wins and their show purses. Robelis Despaigne earned $200,000 for beating Tai Tuivasa, who collected $350,000 in defeat.

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Sharaf received a performance bonus after the fight, announced by Dana White during the post-event press conference. The additional money helped close the gap with Steveson, whose guaranteed payday reflected his crossover appeal despite entering the bout with mounting criticism from the MMA community.

Reported via:

• BJPenn — Gable Steveson nets $100k more than Sean Sharaf in UFC 331 base salary