The UFC’s latest Fight Night offering, UFC Stockholm, was a night of personal triumph for many, and that reflected in the bonus department.
UFC Stockholm was hit by the last minute loss of its co-main event, but the card still delivered in the action department. And in the finish department. So it’s no surprise to see four Performance of the Night bonuses handed out, rather than a Fight of the Night and two Performance bonuses.
As to who’s a little bit wealthier Sunday morning, there was zero surprise that Aleksander Rakic was among the winners. Rakic absolutely devastated Jimi Manuwa with a crushing first round head kick. ‘Poster Boy’ became posterized, in a highlight reel finish that will be played for years to come. Luckily, Manuwa left the octagon under his own power. Rakic, meanwhile, left it in triumph.
Also no surprise was that main event winner Anthony Smith earned a Performance of the Night bonus. Smith returned to the win column with a fourth round submission of Alexander Gustafsson in a fight that was quite close to that point. However, Smith took his opponent’s back, and ‘The Mauler’ could not shake him off. He flattened the Swede out, and sunk in a rear-naked choke. When the tap came, it silenced the Swedish crowd in an instant.
Gustafsson retired after the fight. Smith is now in limbo, perhaps the best remaining light heavyweight in the division not named Jon Jones.
💰 B O N U S E S 💰@LionheartASmith, @Rakic_UFC, @MakwanAmirkhani, @LeoSantosBJJ#UFCStockholm pic.twitter.com/tRZLTgg3US
— UFC (@ufc) June 1, 2019
The remaining Performance bonuses went to Makwan Amirkhani and Leonardo Santos. Santos, out of action for years, wasted no time in knocking out Stevie Ray with a one-punch counter.
Amirkhani, a.k.a. ‘Mr. Finland,’ pulled off an anaconda choke to finish Chris Fishgold’s night, earning an extra $50,000 for himself.
