The UFC handed out four post-fight bonuses after Saturday’s card, and all four went to fighters with finishes on the main card.
After UFC 291, four fighters picked up an extra $50,000 for their performances in Salt Lake City. Check out the winners below.
Performance of the Night: Kevin Holland
Kevin Holland def. Michael Chiesa via submission (D’Arce choke) – Round 1, 2:39
Kevin Holland (25-9 MMA, 12-6 UFC) landed a glancing knee against Michael Chiesa (16-7 MMA, 11-7 UFC) and put him to the canvas, then pounced on him and locked in a D’Arce choke that forced Chiesa to tap in his first fight back after a layoff of nearly two years.
Performance of the Night: Bobby Green
Bobby Green def. Tony Ferguson via submission (arm-triangle choke) – Round 3, 4:54
Bobby Green (30-14-1 MMA, 11-9-1 UFC) got plenty to handle from former interim lightweight champion Tony Ferguson (25-9 MMA, 15-7 UFC), but he stayed after a finish late and got one when he submitted Ferguson with just six seconds left. The bonus was Green’s seventh in his UFC career.
Performance of the Night: Derrick Lewis
Derrick Lewis def. Marcos Rogerio de Lima via TKO (punches) – Round 1, 0:33
Derrick Lewis (27-11 MMA, 18-9 UFC) started his fight against Marcos Rogerio de Lima (21-9-1 MMA, 10-7 UFC) with a flying knee – a sight to behold from someone likely pushing 280 pounds on fight night. He nailed it and knocked de Lima to the canvas. Lewis was all over him in a hurry and pounded away until he had a finish in just 33 seconds.
Performance of the Night: Justin Gaethje
Justin Gaethje def. Dustin Poirier via knockout (head kick) – Round 2, 1:00 – to win “BMF” title
Justin Gaethje (25-4 MMA, 8-4 UFC) taking a $50,000 extra check for his second-round knockout of Dustin Poirier (29-8 MMA, 21-7 UFC) was a no-brainer. In a rematch from a 2018 fight Poirier won by TKO in the fourth round, Gaethje drilled Poirier with a head kick a minute into the second round for a stunning finish to their “BMF” title fight.
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 291.
