UFC: Kamaru, Masvidal celebrate fight windfall

Nigeria’s and United States UFC 251 fighter Kamaru Usman and his opponent, Jorge Masvidal, who was a last minute replacement have both jetted out of Abu Dhabi, UAE toasting the huge money they both made from the bout.

Masvidal was a late replacement to take on Kamaru Usman at UFC 251 last Saturday night, after the Nigerian Nightmare’s initial opponent, Gilbert Burns, pulled out having tested positive for coronavirus. 

Masvidal had endured a public spat with the UFC over failed negotiations, with the 35-year-old demanding a big share of the pie, but the promotion were able to get a deal over the line that was acceptable for all parties.

Usman received close to $500,000 for the fight while the emergency opponent got a little above $200,000 considerably more than the purse he received after the Diaz bout.  

Usman dominated for the majority of the contest, earning a unanimous points victory. 

But Masvidal didn’t appear all too disheartened by his 14th career defeat, toasting a bittersweet week with his team as they made their return to the United States. 

‘Salud to making money,’ he said in a video posted to his Instagram page. ‘We have a saying in Spanish. In good times, Mezcal and in bad times, Mezcal.

‘It didn’t go a hundred per cent part of the plan but we did leave with a big part of the plan. a big chunk of the plan.’

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