The first UFC event of 2025, UFC Vegas 101 produced a full nine finishes, with five of six main card fights ending inside the distance.
That left plenty of options for Performance of the Night bonuses, from Punahele Soriano’s 31-second knockout of Uros Medic, to Fatima Kline picking up the first stoppage win of 2025 with a TKO battering of Victoria Dudakova.
Deserving as those performances might be, however, it was two other standouts taking the $50,000 in bonus money. Mackenzie Dern, who got her revenge on Amanda Ribas in the night’s main event, was one. After losing to Ribas by decision back in 2019, Dern came out on top in a rematch that played out almost entirely on the ground, playing right into her wheelhouse. And while Ribas had her moments, Dern caught her in an arm-bar late in the third, forcing a tap.
Cesar Almeida, who survived an absolute onslaught from Abdul Razak Alhassan in a middleweight fight, earned the other Performance of the Night bonus at UFC Vegas 101. Almeida, returning to his feet after a knockdown, ate several more blows before he connected with a left hook that ended Alhassan’s night in a heartbeat.
Fight of the Night at UFC Vegas 101 went to Roman Kopylov and Chris Curtis, which may be of little solace to the latter. Tied one round a piece heading into the third, Curtis was likely set to lose a decision, but at least go the distance, until a head kick connected that left him wobbled. Despite Kopylov backing off and Curtis only going to one knee, the ref waved the affair off, leaving “The Action Man” incensed.
Maybe the extra spending cash will help take the edge off.
