Justin Gaethje showed off his incredible skills once again at UFC 291, defeating Dustin Poirier with a stunning head kick KO in their rematch. With this victory, he not only earned the title of the second “BMF” champion in history, but also received a Performance of the Night bonus. Remarkably, this is the 12th time in 12 UFC appearances that Gaethje has earned a $50,000 bonus, making him one of the most consistent bonus earners in UFC history.
In addition to Gaethje’s impressive performance, three other fighters also earned Performance of the Night bonuses at the event. Derrick Lewis returned to winning ways with an exhilarating first-round KO of Marcos Rogerio de Lima using a flying knee from the get-go. With this victory, Lewis surpassed welterweight slugger Matt Brown to set the UFC record for all-time knockouts with 14.
Bobby Green brought on Tony Ferguson with 6 seconds left, snapping a six-game losing streak against “El Cucuy” for an important victory. Meanwhile, Kevin Holland turned the tables on submission specialist Michael Chiesa, forcing Chiesa into an arm triangle choke in the first round. Although Fight of the Night was not awarded this time, the four fighters who gave exceptional performances in their respective bouts were: Their efforts are duly recognized and rewarded.
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