The UFC typically hands out a select number of bonuses to the top performances after every card, but the recent rare deviation from the norm was a welcome surprise to middleweight Joaquin Buckley.
“New Mansa” entered UFC on ESPN 37 looking for his third straight victory, but standing in the way was a strong wrestler in Albert Duraev who also happened to be a former training partner. Buckley, who created one of the most spectacular knockouts in the history of the sport in 2020, always hunts for the extra $50,000 bonus in his fights. So far, he has cashed four of those extra checks.
However, the one he earned for his win against Duraev was unexpected because the TKO stoppage wasn’t a result of another flashy spinning kick, but rather the accumulation of damage and a doctor’s stoppage due to swelling of Duraev’s eye.
