BKFC KnuckleMania V purses and payouts: How much Eddie Alvarez, Jeremy Stephens, and others are making? Reported, estimated, and previous payouts

The BKFC KnuckleMania V event marks the fifth edition of the annual KnuckleMania events, each of which is deemed to be the bare-knuckle boxing organization's biggest card of the year. Headliners Eddie Alvarez and Jeremy Stephens are among those expected to bag lucrative payouts at the upcoming KnuckleMania.

As reported by InsideSport, Eddie Alvarez bagged a $600k-plus payday for his first BKFC fight, wherein he outpointed fellow UFC veteran Chad Mendes in 2023. Alvarez suffered a TKO stoppage defeat against Mike Perry in their fight for BKFC's symbolic 'King of Violence' title later that year. Alvarez's estimated purse for it was in the $600k-to-$1 million range.

Meanwhile, Jeremy Stephens' most recent BKFC appearance witnessed him outpoint Bobby Taylor in September 2024. Per Sporty Salaries, Stephens was expected to bag a $200k guaranteed purse for it.

The upcoming lightweight bare-knuckle boxing bout between ex-UFC lightweight champion Alvarez and fellow UFC veteran Stephens will headline BKFC KnuckleMania V. Given their reported past payouts and their fight's headlining status, closing out the BKFC's biggest annual card nonetheless, the consensus is that Alvarez and Stephens' purses could likely be higher than their previous ones.

Former UFC heavyweight staple Ben Rothwell has secured three consecutive wins in as many fights under the BKFC banner, his most recent one being an injury stoppage against fellow UFC veteran Todd Duffee at BKFC KnuckleMania IV in April 2024. On the same card, BKFC heavyweight champion Mick Terrill secured an injury stoppage win over Lorenzo Hunt and successfully defended his title.

As reported by MMA Fighting, the CSAC (California State Athletic Commission) put forth the disclosed salary list for the event that transpired in Los Angeles, California. Rothwell's disclosed pay was $150k, whereas Terrill's disclosed pay was $100k.

The belief is that Rothwell's legacy as a heavyweight MMA veteran boosted his overall combat sports standing, which is likely why he fetched a bigger disclosed payout than Terrill despite the latter being a champion. Their upcoming clash is also expected to fetch them payouts in the same ballpark or higher, given that it has the added element of Rothwell getting his first BKFC title shot.

England's Terrill defends his BKFC heavyweight championship in a long-awaited showdown against America's Rothwell in the co-headlining match of BKFC KnuckleMania V. The event goes down at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.A., on Jan. 25, 2025.

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BKFC KnuckleMania V: Eddie Alvarez vs. Jeremy Stephens purses and payouts

The estimated/reported payouts for the BKFC KnuckleMania V fighters haven't been officially confirmed. Also, a fighter's total pay from a given matchup is generally higher than the estimated/reported numbers, owing to bonuses, perks, etc. The upcoming KnuckleMania card also boasts a featured fight, a women's flyweight showdown between Taylor Starling and ex-UFC fighter Bec Rawlings.

Starling fought Christine Ferea for the BKFC women's flyweight title at BKFC 28 in 2022 and suffered a TKO defeat. Per MMA Junkie, the NMRLD (New Mexico Regulation and Licensing Department) disclosed the fighter salaries for the event. Starling had reportedly earned $20k.

Furthermore, TheSportster cited a report by Sportsest, highlighting that Bec Rawlings earned $100k for her stoppage defeat in her first encounter against Christine Ferea at BKFC 41 in 2023. Starling and Rawlings are expected to bag payouts in a similar range at BKFC KnuckleMania V.