Maybe it was a bad sign when the entirety of the preliminary card went to decisions, but UFC Baku on Saturday certainly didn’t have much finishing power.
Just two fights on the 12-fight card ended inside the distance, taking the wind out of the sails in what was the UFC’s debut in Azerbaijan.
Still, two finishes seemed like they would be a lock for Performance of the Night bonuses. Nazim Sadykhov knocked out Nikolas Motta, after all, and Myktybek Orolbai submitted Azerbaijan’s own Tofiq Musayev.
But just hold up a moment there. Orolbai’s fight with Musayev had been shifted to a catchweight shortly ahead of weigh-ins, though neither man officially missed weight, and no explanation was given. Still, rather than grant Orolbai a bonus, UFC officials instead awarded Performance of the Night bonuses to both Nazim Sadykhov and, surprisingly, Nikolas Motta as well.
Since the pair also shared in the Fight of the Night bonus, that means both men doubled up on bonus money at UFC Baku. $100,000 U.S. will now go to each, on top of their show (and win money, in the case of Sadykhov), outfitting pay, and any other discretionary bonuses.
For Sadykhov, the double bonuses means he has four post-fight awards in five UFC outings. An Azerbaijani living in Brooklyn, Black Wolf is 4-0-1 since arriving in the promotion by way of Dana White’s Contender Series.
