When it came to Performance of the Night bonuses, the pickings at UFC 302 on Saturday were slim.
That’s not to say the card didn’t have its share of exciting moments. But out of the gate, the first five fights went the distance. Four more would as well; nine of twelve fights total saw the judges. Perhaps that’s why the UFC opted to double up on the bonuses, with both a Performance of the Night and Fight of the Night awarded to Islam Makhachev, who submitted Dusin Poirier in the fifth round of a competitive lightweight title fight main event.
The finish came via d’arce choke, after Poirier began to mount something of a late surge, ripping the body and seemingly having the champ on his heels a bit. Still, it wasn’t enough to overcome the dominant Makhachev, who earned his 14th consecutive victory on Saturday, surpassing friend, teammate, and coach Khabib Nurmagomedov.
Poirier, of course, shares in the Fight of the Night bonus, earning himself $50,000. “The Diamond” was unclear after the event whether he’ll continue on with his career. Makhachev makes off with $100,000, and has turned his attention to chasing a second title.
The remaining Performance of the Night bonus was awarded to Kevin Holland, who appeared to snap Michal Oleksiejczuk’s arm in the opening round of their middleweight bout. While Oleksiejczuk protested the technical submission, it was clear his arm was compromised, with the ref right on top of the action.
