Leon Edwards vs. Kamaru Usman 3 purse, salaries for UFC 286: How much money will they make?

Daniel Yanofsky

Leon Edwards vs. Kamaru Usman 3 purse, salaries for UFC 286: How much money will they make? image

With the series tied 1-1, something has to give between Leon Edwards and Kamaru Usman. Competing in Edwards’ backyard in London, UFC 286 features a welterweight title fight on March 18. 

The fight takes place inside the O2 Arena. Fans in the U.S. can watch the fight via ESPN+ PPV, while BT Sport will host the bout in the U.K. 

Edwards and Usman have a history dating back to 2015. After winning The Ultimate Fighter, Usman faced Edwards, on a two-fight win streak at the time. Usman won via unanimous decision after landing six takedowns.

In the rematch at UFC 278 in August 2022, Usman landed five takedowns and was in command. However, in the last minute of the fight, Edwards landed a kick to Usman's neck that resulted in a dramatic knockout win. The kick earned recognition as The Sporting News’ 2022 Knockout and Upset of the Year

MORE: Sign up to watch the UFC 286 PPV, exclusively on ESPN+

Florida hosted the first fight, with Utah hosting the second one. Now, a passionate U.K. fanbase welcomes what could be a thrilling trilogy. The two will look to take home a generous purse. How will it relate to past fights? 

The Sporting News looks into the purse history of the rivals and what they may earn at UFC 286. 

Leon Edwards vs. Kamaru Usman 3 fight purse, prize money

The official UFC 286 purse has not been released, but previous payouts for Edwards and Usman help provide insight into how much they will earn. The Sporting News will provide updates on purse payouts when provided. 

Usman reportedly made $26,500 in the first fight against Edwards in 2015, while Edwards made $17,500, per The Sports Daily. Per the Utah Athletic Commission (via MMA Fighting), Usman received $500,000 for the rematch at UFC 278. Edwards took home $350,000. That does not include fight bonuses. 

MORE: Dana White confirms next opponent for Jon Jones

Per The Sports Daily, Usman earned $72,500 when he won The Ultimate Fighter in 2015. When he beat Tyron Woodley for the UFC welterweight title in 2019, Usman made about $380,000. The highest he earned in a title fight was in April 2021, where he made $692,000 in a rematch against Jorge Masvidal. Against Colby Covington in November 2021, Usman made $642,000.

In his UFC debut in 2015, Edwards earned $66,000, per The Sports Daily. When he beat Rafael dos Anjos in 2019, Edwards made $118,000. Facing Belal Muhammad, Edwards made $120,000 and against Nate Diaz in June 2021, he took home $231,000.

What is Leon Edwards’ net worth?

Per Sports Zion, Edwards has a net worth of about $1.5 million.

Comparing him to other champions in the UFC, Jon Jones has a net worth of $3 million. Alexander Volkanovski’s net worth is about $2 million.

What is Kamaru Usman’s net worth?

Per Celebrity Net Worth, Usman’s net worth is about $3 million. He has a base salary of over $600,000, along with endorsements.

Recently, Usman starred in Marvel’s Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. 

MORE: Jon Jones is the undisputed G.O.A.T.

When is UFC 286: Leon Edwards vs. Kamaru Usman 3? 

  • Date: Saturday, March 18 | Sunday, March 19
  • Early FIGHT PASS Prelims: 1 p.m. ET | 5 p.m. GMT | 4 a.m. AEDT
  • Prelims: 3 p.m. ET | 7 p.m. GMT | 6 a.m. AEDT
  • Main card: 5 p.m. ET | 9 p.m. GMT | 8 a.m. AEDT
  • Main event: 8 p.m. ET | 12 a.m. GMT | 11 a.m. AEDT (approx.) 

UFC 286 takes place on Match 18. The FIGHT PASS prelims will begin at around 1 p.m. ET. The prelims will go live at 3 p.m. ET and the main card starts at 5 p.m. ET on ESPN+ PPV. Edwards and Usman should make their way to the octagon around 8 p.m. ET, depending on how long the undercard fights last.

How to watch UFC 286: Leon Edwards vs. Kamaru Usman 3

Country Date Channel + Live Stream (main card)
United States Sat. March 18 ESPN+, ESPN PPV
Canada Sat. March 18 BELL, Rogers, Shaw, SaskTel,  Videotron, Telus, Eastlink, UFC PPV on UFC Fight Pass
United Kingdom Sat. March 18 BT Sport
Australia Sun. March 19 Main Event, Kayo Sports, Fetch TV, UFC PPV on UFC Fight Pass

The main card for UFC 286 is available in the U.S. and Mexico on the ESPN+ subscription streaming service for a pay-per-view cost. Earlier fights are viewable live on ESPN+. 

MORE: Dana White confirms next opponent for Jon Jones

In Canada, the main card pay-per-view is available on BELL, Rogers, Shaw, SaskTel, Videotron, Telus, Eastlink, and UFC PPV on UFC Fight Pass.

In the United Kingdom, the main card will be available on BT Sport, with the prelims on UFC Fight Pass. 

In Australia, the main card will be on Main Event, Kayo Sports, Fetch TV, and UFC PPV on UFC Fight Pass.

Leon Edwards vs. Kamaru Usman 3 price: How much does UFC 286 cost? 

  • $79.99 (current ESPN+ subscribers)
  • $124.98 (new subscribers)

In the U.S., the UFC 286 main card is available via pay-per-view on ESPN+, which also requires a subscription. The PPV price for UFC 286 is $79.99 for current subscribers. New subscribers can pay a bundle price of $124.98 for the UFC 286 pay-per-view and an ESPN+ annual subscription, which offers savings of more than 30 percent.

BT Sport Box Office will charge £19.99 to access live coverage of the card. The buying window opens on March 10.

MORE: Sign up to watch the UFC 286 PPV, exclusively on ESPN+

Product Prices
ESPN+ Monthly Subscription $9.99/month
ESPN+ Annual Subscription $99.99/year
The Disney Bundle w/Hulu Ad-Supported $13.99/month
The Disney Bundle w/Hulu No-Ads $19.99/month
UFC PPV Standalone $74.99 each
UFC PPV Package (UFC PPV & ESPN+ Annual) $99.98, then $69.99/year
UFC PPV & The Disney Bundle

$88.98, then $13.99/month

Click here to learn about the different pricing and bundling options with the ESPN+ platform.

UFC 286 fight card

Main card

  • Leon Edwards vs. Kamaru Usman 3 for the UFC welterweight title 
  • Justin Gaethje vs. Rafael Fiziev; Lightweights
  • Gunnar Nelson vs. Bryan Barberena; Welterweights
  • Jennifer Maia vs. Casey O'Neill; Flyweights
  • Marvin Vettori vs. Roman Dolidze; Middleweights

Prelims

  • Jack Shore vs. Makwan Amirkhani, Featherweights
  • Sam Patterson vs. Yanal Ashmoz; Lightweights
  • Chris Duncan vs. Omar Morales; Lightweights
  • Muhammad Mokaev vs. Jafel Filho; Flyweights

FIGHT PASS Prelims 

  • Lerone Murphy vs. Gabriel Santos; Featherweights
  • Christian Leroy Duncan vs. Dusko Todorovic; Middleweights
  • Malcolm Gordon vs. Jake Hadley; Flyweights
  • Joanna Wood vs. Luana Carolina; Flyweights
  • Jai Herbert vs. Ludovit Klein; Lightweights
  • Juliana Miller vs. Veronica Hardy; Flyweights

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Daniel Yanofsky