Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
USA Today Sports Media Group
USA Today Sports Media Group
Sport
Matt Erickson

UFC 291 bonuses: With plenty to pick from, Justin Gaethje’s extra $50,000 was easy

The UFC handed out four post-fight bonuses after Saturday’s card, and all four went to fighters with finishes on the main card.

After UFC 291, four fighters picked up an extra $50,000 for their performances in Salt Lake City. Check out the winners below.

Performance of the Night: Kevin Holland

Kevin Holland def. Michael Chiesa via submission (D’Arce choke) – Round 1, 2:39

Kevin Holland (25-9 MMA, 12-6 UFC) landed a glancing knee against Michael Chiesa (16-7 MMA, 11-7 UFC) and put him to the canvas, then pounced on him and locked in a D’Arce choke that forced Chiesa to tap in his first fight back after a layoff of nearly two years.

Performance of the Night: Bobby Green

Bobby Green def. Tony Ferguson via submission (arm-triangle choke) – Round 3, 4:54

Bobby Green (30-14-1 MMA, 11-9-1 UFC) got plenty to handle from former interim lightweight champion Tony Ferguson (25-9 MMA, 15-7 UFC), but he stayed after a finish late and got one when he submitted Ferguson with just six seconds left. The bonus was Green’s seventh in his UFC career.

Performance of the Night: Derrick Lewis

Derrick Lewis def. Marcos Rogerio de Lima via TKO (punches) – Round 1, 0:33

Derrick Lewis (27-11 MMA, 18-9 UFC) started his fight against Marcos Rogerio de Lima (21-9-1 MMA, 10-7 UFC) with a flying knee – a sight to behold from someone likely pushing 280 pounds on fight night. He nailed it and knocked de Lima to the canvas. Lewis was all over him in a hurry and pounded away until he had a finish in just 33 seconds.

Performance of the Night: Justin Gaethje

Justin Gaethje def. Dustin Poirier via knockout (head kick) – Round 2, 1:00 – to win “BMF” title

Justin Gaethje (25-4 MMA, 8-4 UFC) taking a $50,000 extra check for his second-round knockout of Dustin Poirier (29-8 MMA, 21-7 UFC) was a no-brainer. In a rematch from a 2018 fight Poirier won by TKO in the fourth round, Gaethje drilled Poirier with a head kick a minute into the second round for a stunning finish to their “BMF” title fight.

Justin Gaethje

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 291.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.