The UFC handed out four post-fight bonuses after Saturday’s card, including one to a former champion who reclaimed the title in dramatic fashion.
After UFC 287, four fighters picked up an extra $50,000 for their performances in Miami. Check out the winners below.
Fight of the Night: Kelvin Gastelum vs. Chris Curtis
Kelvin Gastelum def. Chris Curtis via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)
Kelvin Gastelum (18-8 MMA, 12-8 UFC) and Chris Curtis (30-10 MMA, 4-2 UFC) put on a middleweight banger to close out the prelims. The two slugged it out for 15 minutes and traded punches and kicks. In the end, Gastelum got just his second win in nearly five years, and first in more than two. The bonus was the eighth for Gastelum in 20 UFC fights. The bonus for Curtis was his third.
Performance of the Night: Rob Font
Rob Font def. Adrian Yanez via TKO (punches) – Round 1, 2:57
Rob Font (20-6 MMA, 10-5 UFC) wasn’t given much of a shot against Adrian Yanez (16-4 MMA, 5-1 UFC), who started his UFC career a perfect 5-0. But Font took it to Yanez almost immediately, and after he stunned him a few times on the feet, Font landed a massive punch, then put Yanez away on the canvas. He snapped a two-fight skid with the knockout and picked up his sixth career bonus.
Performance of the Night: Israel Adesanya
Israel Adesanya def. Alex Pereira via knockout (punches) – Round 2, 4:21
Israel Adesanya (24-2 MMA, 13-2 UFC) finally got a win over his biggest rival, Alex Pereira (7-2 MMA, 4-1 UFC), and he did it in dramatic and spectacular fashion. Adesanya was backed against the fence by Pereira, then hammered him with a right. One more landed, then another on the canvas, and Adesanya had the middleweight title back around his waist from the man who upset him to take it this past November. Adesanya had two previous kickboxing losses to Pereira, plus their first UFC fight. The bonus was Adesanya’s eighth.
