Khamzat Chimaev vs. Tyron Woodley Purse — How Much Are the UFC Stars Earning to Wrestle?

Many of the top fighters in the UFC have quickly turned real American Freestyle into a tempting side activity, with the fighters themselves comparing the wages they earn from wrestling to those they earn within the Octagon.

The fact that the pay for Khamzat Chimaev’s fight against Tyron Woodley at RAF Moscow is so interesting has shown how much the commercial value of the sport has grown. Although the exact amounts for the September 5 main event have not been made public, earlier statements by Arman Tsarukyan, Merab Dvalishvili and Michael Bisping do give a better idea of how aggressively RAF is rewarding established MMA stars.

What UFC Stars Have Said About RAF Pay

Tsarukyan has given one of the best examples of what top UFC fighters can achieve with RAF.

On The Ariel Helwani Show, when asked by the host if his earnings from the RAF were approaching those he makes in the UFC, Tsarukyan replied “Yes” and then called the situation “the best”.

The fact that Tsarukyan is notable is due to the fact that he is still an active competitor in the UFC while at the same time taking part regularly in freestyle wrestling. By offering fighters such as him another means of earning a large amount of money, the RAF scheme allows them to avoid the physical ordeal of undergoing a full MMA training camp and fight.

Merab Dvalishvili has also made a comparable remark. The former UFC bantamweight champion stated to Front Office Sports that the amount he was paid to take part in RAF was the same as the amount he earned from his 2023 UFC fight against Petr Yan.

Even though both contracts were not made public, the outlet stated that Dvalishvili’s comments implied that he had a paycheck from the RAF in the six-figure range.

A clear example of this was provided by Michael Bisping, who was a former middleweight champion of the UFC.

Bisping stated on his Believe You Me podcast that the RAF had offered him $500,000 to wrestle Tito Ortiz, another fighter in the UFC Hall of Fame.

I was tempted,” Bisping said, giving the reason that neck problems eventually stopped him from taking up the fight. He also mentioned that RAF were paying “serious money”.

What Could Chimaev and Woodley Be Making?

The RAF has not made public the amounts of money it has paid to Chimaev or Woodley, so any specific figure associated with their fight in Moscow would be speculative.

On the other hand, the past agreements made by the promotion provide some background.

Chimaev is one of the top fighters that RAF has brought in and had previously challenged Dillon Danis for the organization. Likewise, Woodley, who was a former UFC welterweight champion, also has considerable name recognition, having been one of the UFC’s most well-known fighters for many years.

The strategy of the RAF has increasingly involved matching established wrestling talent with well-known MMA fighters, and the list of athletes on its roster has comprised Tsarukyan, Dvalishvili, Henry Cejudo, Colby Covington, Chris Weidman, Michael Chandler and Bo Nickal.

The promotion has likewise seen rapid growth since it started in 2025. Chad Bronstein, CEO of the RAF, stated in an interview with Front Office Sports that the organization earned $10 million from sponsorship in its first year.

The fact that they have financial support can help account for the fact that so many experienced UFC fighters are prepared to compete.