UFC 318 is scheduled for Saturday, July 19, at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, Louisiana, marking the promotion’s sixth event in the city. The event offers an exciting line-up, including a headline bout where Max Holloway defends his ‘BMF’ title against Dustin Poirier, while middleweight contenders Roman Kopylov and Paulo Costa clash in the co-main event. The focus on Roman Kopylov UFC 318 payout highlights a step forward in the fighter’s career as he faces a more experienced opponent.

Projected earnings for Max Holloway and Dustin Poirier in the main event

As the headline fight draws nearer, speculation surrounds the earnings of veteran fighters Max Holloway and Dustin Poirier. Although exact payout figures have yet to be made public, insights are drawn from their recent bouts and typical pay structures within the UFC. Poirier, who announced UFC 318 as his retirement bout, earned over $1.2 million at UFC 302 despite losing to Islam Makhachev. Holloway, meanwhile, made upwards of $2.4 million in a losing effort against Ilia Topuria at UFC 308. Based on these prior amounts, Poirier is expected to earn at least $1.6 million, while Holloway could see a payout near $2.7 million.

Expected payouts for Paulo Costa and Roman Kopylov’s middleweight showdown

Paulo Costa, an experienced middleweight competitor known for a title fight against Israel Adesanya, enters UFC 318 with a wealth of high-profile matches. His last outing at UFC 302 resulted in a loss to Sean Strickland, but he earned over $500,000 from that fight. In contrast, Roman Kopylov is emerging as a promising contender with fewer UFC appearances. His recent victory via a last-second knockout against Chris Curtis at UFC Vegas 101 reportedly netted him around $150,000. Facing Costa will be a significant rise in competition for Kopylov, with expectations that he could earn more than $250,000. Costa is anticipated to receive at least $700,000 for this bout.

Other notable UFC 318 fighter pay estimates to watch

Kevin Holland, competing for the fourth time in 2025, aims to build on his submission win over Vicente Luque at UFC 316, where he earned more than $400,000. His upcoming opponent, Daniel Rodriguez, who recently defeated Santiago Ponzinibbio at UFC Des Moines, earned approximately $100,000 in his last fight. For UFC 318, Holland might earn upwards of $500,000, while Rodriguez could see a payday exceeding $200,000 if victorious.

Additionally, the featherweight contest between Dan Ige and Patricio Pitbull is expected to draw attention. Ige, victorious over Sean Woodson at UFC 314, earned over $130,000 for that fight. Pitbull, despite losing his UFC debut to Yair Rodriguez, garnered more than $200,000. Both fighters might receive similar compensation amounts for their upcoming matchup.

All payout estimates referenced in this article are attributed to BetMGM data.

What the earnings reveal about UFC 318’s significance

The projected payouts across UFC 318 highlight the varying stages of fighters’ careers and their respective market values within the promotion. Roman Kopylov’s anticipated increase in earnings reflects the opportunity UFC 318 presents for him to establish himself against a veteran like Paulo Costa. Meanwhile, the lucrative paydays for headline fighters such as Holloway and Poirier reinforce the high-profile nature of their matchup and the event itself. Fans and analysts alike will look closely at these figures as indicators of fighter status and the evolving dynamics of UFC’s middleweight and featherweight divisions. The event promises not only exciting competition but also meaningful career milestones reflected through the fighters’ purses.