UFC 266 bonuses: Alexander Volkanovski and Brian Ortega’s classic title fight among winners
The UFC handed out post-fight bonuses to four fighters after Saturday’s pay-per-view event. Two fighters took home “Performance of the Night” bonuses while both competitors in the main event, Alexander Volkanovski and Brian Ortega, earned the “Fight of the Night” bonus for their instant classic title fight.
UFC 266 took place at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Check out the $50,000 winners below.
'Performance of the Night': Chris Daukaus
Sep 25, 2021; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Chris Daukaus lands a hit against Shamil Abdurakhimov as the fight is stopped during UFC 266 at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
One of the most highly-touted heavyweight prospects delivered a fantastic finish on the prelims of UFC 266. [autotag]Chris Daukaus[/autotag] caught Shamil Abdurakhimov with beautiful punches that led to a second-round TKO finish. Daukaus racked up his fifth finish in a row as he continues his rapid ascent in the heavyweight division. No stranger to bonuses, Daukaus took home his third extra paycheck in just four fights under the UFC banner.
'Performance of the Night': Merab Dvalishvili
Sep 25, 2021; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Merab Dvalishvili pins Marlon Moraes to the mat during UFC 266 at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
The final prelim fight of UFC 266 delivered one of the most memorable rounds of the year. [autotag]Merab Dvalishvili[/autotag] and Marlon Moraes had an incredible back-and-forth war that ultimately ended in a second-round finish. Moraes had Dvalishvili all but out on his feet early in the first round, coming very close to finishing the fight a couple of times from hard punches. Somehow, Dvalishvili found a way to survive. Not only did he hold on, but he also turned the tides by getting a takedown and hurting Moraes badly before the round ended from ground and pound. Dvalishvili secured the TKO finish in the second round to extend his winning streak to five in a row. He also earned his first UFC finish and first performance bonus.
'Fight of the Night': Alexander Volkanovski vs. Brian Ortega
Sep 25, 2021; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Alexander Volkanovski lands a hit against Brian Ortega during UFC 266 at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
The featherweight title fight between [autotag]Alexander Volkanovski[/autotag] and [autotag]Brian Ortega[/autotag] certainly lived up to its top billing of UFC 266. The champ Volkanovski showed sharp striking and fast footwork early in the fight, but the challenger, Ortega refused to back down throughout the contest, landing a few sharp punches of his own. The submission specialist put the champ in a few precarious positions in the third round, but Volkanovski showed championship heart and will to escape. Despite the cageside doctor checking Ortega's eye after heavy ground and pound strikes in the third and fourth rounds, the fight continued to the final horn in an absolute classic at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Volkanovski retained his title by unanimous decision to score his second title defense. The "Fight of the Night" bonus marked Volkanovski's second promotional bonus and Ortega's seventh.
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