Miami, FL – Following a big night in Miami with a record setting gate at UFC 299, the UFC loosened the purse strings, awarding all fighters with a finish on the night a $50,000 Performance of the Night bonus.
Except for Dustin Poirier. Not to worry, however. “The Diamond” instead shares in Fight of the Night honors alongside Benoit Saint-Denis.
There were plenty of big finishes in sunny Miami on Saturday. Among the standouts was Poirier, of course, who after jumping guard about five times put Saint-Denis away with a vicious hook. A jovially stubborn Poirier insisted backstage that he would never stop jumping the guillotine, even after coaches and teammate Mateusz Gamrot advised him not to.
Curtis Blaydes scored a massive come-from-behind win after being taken down a record number of times in the opening round of his fight with Jailton Almeida. It may have come as a shock to “Razor” Blaydes but he regrouped nicely in round two, putting Almeida out with hammerfists as the Brazilian pursued yet another takedown.
Jack Della Maddalena, who ended Gilbert Burns’ night in violent fashion, newcomer Robelis Despaigne (who finished Josh Parisian in under 20 seconds), and Michel Pereira, who picked up the lone submission win on the card, were the other bonus recipients at UFC 299.
