UFC Vegas 91 did deliver on its promise of unbridled excitement. While the Alex Perez vs. Matheus Nicolau headliner had fans on the edge of their seats, seven fighters managed to finish their rivals on the night. Such incredible in-octagon performances merit recognition, and Dana White did not disappoint as he paid up to four post-fight bonuses at the event.
It’s pertinent to note that five of those seven finishes came via a KO/TKO, while two fighters trusted their submission skills to finish their rivals. However, even though each fight had something to cheer for, every winner couldn’t be rewarded equally since Dana White and Co. have limited the count of post-fight bonuses to four per event.
The UFC’s official ‘X’ account revealed the names of the fighters, whose performance at Vegas 91 won them a $50,000 bonus. The snaps attached to it disclosed that both the UFC Vegas 91 main and co-main eventers, Alex Perez and Bogdan Guskov, were rewarded with post-fight bonuses. While the two other $50k rewards went to the UFC welterweight Uros Medic and the heavyweight Jhonata Diniz.
Interestingly, all the fighters who earned a post-fight bonus at UFC Vegas 91 finished their rivals with KOs or TKOs. This goes to show that White and other UFC officials clearly prefer a brutal and dramatic finish to their matches. In fact, such a preference is the reason why one of the most feared strikers in the current UFC roster holds an incredible percentage of winning post-fight bonuses
Justin Gaethje’s violent striking has earned him an insane number of post-fight bonuses
Justin Gaethje’s claim of being a “violent” fighter cannot be contradicted. The Arizona native enters the octagon with a never-say-never attitude and gives his 100% every single time. This incredible commitment is the reason why Gaethje has reaped twelve post-fight bonuses from a total of thirteen fights in his entire career.
However, despite the bonuses, Gaethje has just managed to win eight of those thirteen fights. While this might be confusing for some, a closer look at the UFC’s post-fight bonus criteria can offer some clarity.
The UFC authorities give away two types of bonuses after each event depending upon the performances of the fighters. While only the victor can be eligible for a ‘Performance of the Night’ bonus, a loser can earn a ‘Fight of the Night’ bonus if their in-octagon performance impresses the authorities.
Hence, while the post-fight bonus acts as an incentive to perform better, Gaethje’s commitment to his craft has inspired many as they aspire to follow in his footsteps.
