Azamat Bekoev made a statement after registering his 10th career finish at UFC Des Moines. With a thunderous TKO win over Ryan Loder, he was one of the four bonus winners last weekend, as Dana White handed him $50,000. Unlike other fighters who tend to make use of this money to cater to their lifestyle and even cover the expenses arising from training, Bekoev wanted to send his money to his mother, as their financial situation wasn’t all that good.
Revealing that he almost went bankrupt at one point, Azamat Bekoev said, “I was laying like this, wondering how I was going to pay for my car. I leased a car because my other car broke down, and I had like $15 left on my card… I think I’ll give it to my mom,” during an interview with ‘Krazy Kev MMA’. However, the UFC fighter later realized that he may not be able to give the whole $50,000 to his mother.
While scrolling across X, Azamat Bekoev came across a fan who asked him about his $50,000 bonus and if he had received it from the UFC. As the middleweight fighter responded by saying that he’s waiting for it, he also wanted to be clear about how much tax he’d have to pay. Bekoev wondered, “Still waiting for the money. Will I have to pay a lot of taxes?” The response that he got from another fan didn’t look like it pleased the 29-year-old.
The fan mentioned how the taxation system works in the United States. Not only does Bekoev have to pay the federal government, but he’ll also have to pay the state as well, which amounts who almost 28 percent. “Probably around 28% cause of federal tax, which is 24%, and Iowa state tax, which is 3.8%. There might be other taxes you have to pay on top of that, though. I’m unsure on that,” the fan commented.
If we take a look at the numbers, 28 percent would mean that Azamat Bekoev will have to pay around $14,000 in taxes, leaving him with only $36,000. It was certainly a shocker for the Russian fighter, who replied to the fan, “Now you spoiled my mood.”
Azamat Bekoev just learned about the taxes he has to pay on his bonus pic.twitter.com/bu8G73msiU
— Spinnin Backfist (@SpinninBackfist) May 6, 2025
Well, the tax fee could be higher because, according to Iowa’s official website, Azamat Bekoev might have to pay a 5 percent athletic tax, so the overall taxable amount could rise to almost 30 percent. This is certainly a pressing issue since fighter pay is also a big problem in the UFC.
Well, Bekoev isn’t the only fighter who’s had issues with the tax situation. When Dana White’s promotion traveled to Australia for UFC 293, one of the fighters featured on the card was absolutely livid with how money he had left from his fight purse. Let’s take a look at that front.
Another UFC fighter expressed an issue with taxes after his fight in Australia
UFC 293 was memorable for many things–from an entertaining pre-fight presser to a massive upset in the main event. However, another moment stood out in the aftermath of the PPV, which involved an unranked lightweight fighter, John Makdessi. The 40-year-old veteran lost the fight that night against Jamie Mullarkey via decision, but that wasn’t what upset him the most.
The Canadian star’s 20th fight under the UFC banner, which is also his last fight, saw him earn a $58,000 payout. He revealed the details on social media, but that was not the amount he took home that night. John Makdessi revealed that he was only able to take $28,461, losing $26,100 as he was charged a 45 percent foreign tax.
“I sacrificed my whole life for this sport and put everything on the line. Damn Australian government and the judges robbed me pretty badly,” a disappointed Makdessi wrote on a now-deleted tweet. Another glaring situation when a fighter was taxed heavily happened way back in former UFC fighter Gleison Tibau fought in Brazil. According to him, the Brazilian government taxed him 30 percent of his purse after beating Francisco Trinaldo in 2013. And the surprising thing is that Brazil is Tibau’s native country.
Making money certainly comes with a lot of challenges when it comes to UFC fighters. But how does Dana White help his fighters deal with this situation? Should he increase the bonus and the fight purses? Let us know what you think in the comments down below.
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