How much money did Islam Makhachev earn during his career in the UFC?

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How much does Islam Makhachev earn from his UFC career?

Dagestan-born mixed martial artist Islam Makhachev successfully defended his UFC welterweight title on Saturday, August 15, defeating Irishman Ian Gerry. This was the 34-year-old's second fight in the weight class, having previously won the title against Jack Della Maddalena.

Makhachev became the first Russian fighter in UFC history to hold two weight classes. With this victory, he achieved another significant achievement: he won 17 fights in a row, breaking the legendary Anderson Silva's long-standing record of 16 fights. So, how much did the athlete earn after these historic achievements?

**Total Career Earnings**

According to analyses by Give Me Sport and Marca, Islam Makhachev's total career earnings are estimated at around $17.5 million. Including all fees, royalties, and bonuses from pay-per-views (PPV), he is currently among the top 10 highest-earning fighters in UFC history. Conor McGregor leads the list with $39.3 million. As of 2025, Makhachev's net worth is estimated to be around $5-7 million.

Makhachev's earnings have increased significantly, especially in recent years, after he achieved championship status. According to Sporty Salaries, his guaranteed fee for his last fight with Ian Gerry was $1 million. This amount, taking into account PPV interest and bonuses, exceeds $3 million.

Before that, he earned $3.32 million ($800,000 guaranteed, $2.5 million in PPV and $32,000 in endorsements) for his welterweight bout against Jack Della Maddalena.

The biggest payday of his career came in January 2025, when he defeated Brazilian Renato Moicano, who replaced the injured Arman Sarukyan, for $3.64 million.

**From $14,000 to championship**

Of course, the Russian athlete didn’t start earning such big bucks right away. He made his UFC debut in 2015 against American Leo Koons, earning $24,000. In his second fight in the organization, he earned his lowest payday ($14,000). It was in this fight that Islam suffered his first and only defeat in his career, being knocked out by Adriano Martins.

Makhachev earned more than $200,000 for the first time in his career in a fight against Dan Hooker in 2021 ($211,000). He later earned the same amount in a fight against Bobby Green.

Islam's earnings increased sharply after he defeated Charles Oliveira to become the lightweight champion. This victory brought him almost $530,000. Later, Makhachev managed to earn a total of $4 million from two fights against Alexander Volkanovsky and $1.8 million from a fight with Dustin Poirier.