Recently, two Tajik fighters competed in their third UFC matches and earned modest pay by MMA standards. Both Loik Radzhabov and Muhammad Naaimov emerged victorious. Naaimov, who knocked out his opponent in the ground in just 44 seconds, secured his third consecutive win in UFC and earned a fight with a ranked fighter, but his earnings remained humble.
According to The Sports Daily, Naaimov received $28,000 for his third UFC victory ($12,000 for showing, $16,000 for winning, $4,000 in sponsorship payments). The fight between Loik Radzhabov and Abdul-Karim Al-Selwady kicked off the UFC Vegas 87 tournament. Following his impressive knockout victory, Radzhabov requested a $50,000 bonus from UFC President Dana White. However, Radzhabov did not receive the bonus in the end.
The earnings of the "Tajik Tank" also leave room for improvement, showing that despite their success in the octagon, Tajik fighters are still striving for better financial rewards.
