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.
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.