The UFC handed out four post-fight bonuses after Saturday’s card, including one to a fighter with a 20-second win.
After UFC 290, four fighters picked up an extra $50,000 for their performances in Las Vegas. Check out the winners below.
Performance of the Night: Denise Gomes
Denise Gomes def. Yazmin Jauregui via TKO (punches) – Round 1, 0:20
Denise Gomes (8-2 MMA, 2-1 UFC) pulled off a big upset against Yazmin Jauregui (10-1 MMA, 2-1 UFC), who was one of the biggest betting favorites on the card at 4-1. Gomes landed a right hand quickly into the fight, then a glancing left and another right. With Jauregui on the canvas holding on to Gomes’ legs, Gomes rained down punches until she got the 20-second stoppage – the fastest finish in UFC women’s strawweight history.
Performance of the Night: Dricus Du Plessis
Dricus Du Plessis def. Robert Whittaker via TKO (punches) – Round 2, 2:23
Dricus Du Plessis (20-2 MMA, 6-0 UFC) was a sizable underdog in a title eliminator with former middleweight champion Robert Whittaker (25-7 MMA, 15-5 UFC), and he made things look like the odds should have been flipped. Du Plessis took Whittaker out with a second-round TKO to stay unbeaten in the UFC and set up a title shot against champion Israel Adesanya, who came into the cage to have a tense, racially charged faceoff. The two likely will be scheduled to headline UFC 293 in Sydney in September.
Fight of the Night: Alexandre Pantoja vs. Brandon Moreno
Alexander Volkanovski def. Yair Rodriguez via TKO (punches) – Round 4, 4:19
Alexandre Pantoja (26-5 MMA, 10-3 UFC) stayed perfect against Brandon Moreno (21-7-2 MMA, 9-4-2 UFC) with a split decision win in the co-main event. It was Pantoja’s third win over Moreno, but this one was for Moreno’s flyweight title.
