After a disappointing ending to last weekend’s UFC 329 main event, where Conor McGregor suffered a knee injury against Max Holloway, forcing the bout’s end in just 69 seconds, the promotion will look to bounce back with its marquee Fight Night event in Oklahoma City. On July 18, the UFC will make its third promotional visit to OKC, with a star-studded lineup to entertain the audience at Paycom Center.

Two of the UFC’s celebrated former champions, Dricus du Plessis and Kamaru Usman, will headline this spectacle as they square off in a middleweight showdown. The stakes are high, with the winner likely earning a shot at 185-pound champion Sean Strickland. Alongside the main event, the entire card looks stacked with several exciting matchups. But before we witness the action, let’s take a look at how much the fighters could earn for competing at UFC Oklahoma City tonight.

UFC Oklahoma City: Kamaru Usman and Dricus du Plessis payouts

When it comes to payouts, both fighters headlining this week’s UFC Fight Night have reportedly enjoyed highly lucrative paydays. Former welterweight champion Kamaru Usman is widely regarded as one of the greatest fighters in the division’s history, having earned millions during his championship reign. However, the Nigerian-American reportedly took home between $500,000 and $750,000 for his last bout, where he fought Joaquin Buckley at UFC Atlanta in June last year.

While that figure may seem modest for a former champion like Usman, the UFC often pays similar amounts to fighters coming off a losing streak. Before defeating Buckley, ‘The Nigerian Nightmare’ had three consecutive losses, which likely affected his payout. Now that he has returned to the win column, the promotion could reward him with at least $1 – 1.5 million for his move up to the middleweight division.

On the other hand, Dricus du Plessis will also make his return nearly a year after his loss to Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 319. Before that setback, the South African enjoyed a dream run in the middleweight division, defending the belt twice against reigning champion Sean Strickland and divisional legend Israel Adesanya. So, it’s expected that ‘Stillknocks’ pocketed millions of dollars during his title reign. However, his most lucrative payday reportedly came in his clash with ‘Borz’ last year, where he earned an estimated $3 million for his title defense.

Though Du Plessis lost the middleweight belt in his last fight, he still walked away with a hefty payday. So, ‘DDP’ is expected to earn at least half of his previous purse as he prepares to take on Kamaru Usman at UFC Oklahoma City. With that, let’s take a look at what the other fighters on the main card might earn.

Other main card fighters’ payouts at the Oklahoma City event

Alongside the headliners, another fan-favorite fighter, Jared Cannonier, is also returning this week. The former middleweight title challenger will face surging contender Christian Leroy Duncan at UFC Oklahoma City.

When it comes to compensation, Cannonier’s purse has reportedly been in the $300,000–$350,000 range, and he’s expected to earn a similar amount as he’s fighting at the co-main event.

However, the Englishman’s purse isn’t widely reported, though he is expected to earn at least $150,000–$200,000 for facing a notable name at 185 pounds. Plus, Leroy Duncan is currently ranked No. 12 in the division, which should also help boost his payday.

Following them is Chase Hooper, whose last disclosed purse against Lance Gibson Jr. was reportedly $90,000. The promotion was likely set to pay him a similar amount, or perhaps slightly less, since the lightweight lost his previous bout. Unfortunately, Hooper missed weight and will have to forfeit 20% of his purse to his opponent, Mitch Ramirez.

Currently, Ramirez’s purse isn’t widely reported, but he’ll certainly walk away a little richer after receiving Hooper’s forfeited purse money due to the weight miss.

Further down the UFC Oklahoma City card, Tabatha Ricci will make her comeback this week, facing Fatima Kline in a strawweight clash. While Ricci’s reported purse is expected to be $100,000+, Kline’s estimated payout remains a mystery. 

Likewise, the purses of main card openers Tommy McMillen and Alberto Montes have not been widely reported, as both featherweights are still relatively new to the promotion, with just one UFC victory each. Hopefully, their reported payouts will become available after they collide this weekend.

That said, with UFC Oklahoma City ready to rumble, the fighters will also have their eyes on the $100,000 Performance Bonus in the Paramount+ era, and it will be interesting to see who walks away with that extra cash at the end of the night.