The UFC handed out four bonuses after Saturday’s card, but a lightweight who promised a title run, Grant Dawson, was left out of the mix.
Despite a brutal TKO finish on the main card and a bootylicious moment when he thanked his wife for her support – and “a dump truck you could bounce a quarter off of” – Dawson got no extra check for the mic-drop moment with his wife covering her face cageside.
After UFC Fight Night 244, four fighters picked up an extra $50,000 for their performances in Las Vegas. Check out the winners below.
Performance of the Night: Clayton Carpenter
Clayton Carpenter def. Lucas Rocha via technical submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 2, 2:12
Clayton Carpenter (8-0 MMA, 2-0 UFC) was fighting about 20 months after his UFC debut win, but it was evident his game plan was to take the fight to the canvas to outwork Lucas Rocha (17-2 MMA, 0-1 UFC) on the canvas. After he cut him open in the first round and controlled him on the mat, he took him down again in the second and deftly locked in a rear-naked choke that put the Brazilian to sleep without a tap.
Performance of the Night: Ramazonbek Temirov
Ramazonbek Temirov def. CJ Vergara via TKO (punches) – Round 1, 2:50
The UFC’s flyweights might have a new problem on their hands in Uzbekistan’s Ramazonbek Temirov (18-2 MMA, 1-0 UFC). He stormed out in a hurry against CJ Vergara (12-6-1 MMA, 3-4 UFC) and stayed on him for as long as the fight lasted, which was just past the halfway mark when he put him away, mercifully.
Fight of the Night: Brandon Royval def. Tatsuro Taira
Brandon Royval def. Tatsuro Taira via split decision (48-47, 47-48, 48-47)
In a flyweight instant classic, Brandon Royval (17-7 MMA, 7-3 UFC) and Tatsuro Taira (16-1 MMA, 6-1 UFC) truly went back and forth for 25 minutes with regular momentum shifts. But a late takedown for Royval in the fifth and several close submission attempts down the stretch may have sealed the deal for the recent title challenger to hand Taira the first loss of his career. Royval said afterward Taira is a future flyweight champion and he wants to help him get there. He wants another title shot next.
