UFC 288 salaries: Here are the estimated fighter payouts for Henry Cejudo, Aljamain Sterling, Belal Muhammad, and more

Given the prestige of Saturday's event, we take a look at the estimated salaries for Henry Cejudo, Aljamain Sterling, and other fighters on the UFC 288 card. Fighter pay in the sport of mixed martial arts always seems to be a hot topic and remains an ongoing controversy amongst the fanbase.

The card featured a highly anticipated bantamweight title clash that lived up to expectations as the razor-close fight displayed the best of both athletes. There were some great moments on the night as fans got to witness a brilliant featherweight debut, a lightweight brawl that ended in a knockout, and more.

According to reports, Aljamain Sterling walked away with the biggest payout with a total of $1.39 million. Henry Cejudo and Gilbert Burns closely trailed the champion as they received $1.03 million and $920k respectively, spread across their show and win money, sponsorship deals, and pay-per-view bonuses.

Although they often receive backlash for their payment system, the company paid out $100k+ to 12 fighters competing on May 6. Belal Muhammad was given $465k for his victory, whilst Jessica Andrade, Drew Dober, and Devin Clark earned $225k, $165k, and $160k, respectively, despite coming up short in their bouts at UFC 288.

Movsar Evloev extended his undefeated record in the sport with a win over UFC newcomer Diego Lopes. The pair impressed enough to edge out the rest of the competition and earn themselves the $50k Fight of the Night bonus, pushing the Russian's rumored pay to a respectable $151k.

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What's next for Aljamain Sterling following UFC 288 victory?

Aljamain Sterling has once again proved the doubters wrong by beating former double champion Henry Cejudo via decision in the UFC 288 headliner, but what's next for the bantamweight king?

Following the bout, Sean O'Malley was called into the octagon to set up a blockbuster 135-pound clash. The flashy striker was considered the rightful next contender for the title and it seems the promotion is going ahead with that bout.

While an exact date is yet to be decided on, both men seemingly agreed to meet in September this year. In what is, without a doubt, a huge clash in the bantamweight division, the champion will look to create further history, while his popular challenger will be hoping to capture UFC gold in his first attempt.