Issue 098
March 2013
Not everybody fighting inside the Octagon is chasing UFC gold.
Some guys are far more concerned with cashing cheques than tailing titles
When the dust settles on a blockbuster UFC card and the media scrum scuttles towards another post-fight press conference, Dana White will always deliver one guaranteed morsel of news alongside the attendances and gate receipts.
Assembled fighters are all ears, or what’s left of them, as the UFC president declares who has picked up the night’s bonus cheques. This trademark of quality has become synonymous with excitement, skill and flat-out entertainment within mixed martial arts.
Post-fight bonuses have become an area of interest, building a reputation that ranks alongside the familiar voices of Mike Goldberg and Joe Rogan as a UFC institution. Competitors from world champions to Octagon debutants crave the recognition, kudos and, above all, cold hard cash that comes with being chosen as an event’s most devastating finisher, submission specialist or bravest warrior.
With competition for attention and victories more fierce than ever in the unforgiving shark tank of modern MMA, the fight is on to build a reputation as a must-see attraction.
Let’s face it, from the 340+ fighters currently under the Zuffa banner that aspire to wear UFC gold, only a mere fraction will ever get within touching distance. But titles are not on the line in this world of bonuses. Awards are handed out for standing out from the crowd. From the curtain jerker to global superstars, the playing field is even and the prize is a much-needed boost to both your ego and bank balance.
So with the pros outweighing the cons to throwing caution to the wind on fight night, it’s hardly surprising that a band of competitors have carved out a niche as UFC bonus kings. Of all the men that have matched a crowd-pleasing style to a five-figure cheque across the last six years, Chris Lytle matches up against any of his peers.
‘Lights Out’ banked bonus cheques with alarming regularity during more than a decade operating at the top level. The former welterweight earned 10 post-fight bonuses during his UFC campaign, epitomising the highlight-reel style that makes money, and found plenty of new fans and made friends in all the right places.
The Indiana native, who hung up his gloves in 2011 freely admits leaving the cage knowing he’d been in a memorable war was a feeling far better than a mundane decision victory. “I’d definitely rather lose a close decision in a ‘Fight of the Night’ and have people coming up to me and talking about the fight two years later than win a stinker,” he tells FO.
“I remember after the fight with Matt Serra people were very unsatisfied with the way it unfolded. Not only did I feel I was in a boring fight but, at the end of the day, I ended up losing a boring fight. That’s the worst thing you can do as a fighter.”
Lytle has shared the Octagon with a host of adversaries at every stage of their UFC careers, from champions to challengers. And one particularly memorable opponent helped Lytle secure one of his six ‘Fight of the Night’ cheques at UFC 89. Paul Taylor pushed Lytle to the limit on the way to FOTN honours in Birmingham, England, and also believes staying true to a style that puts butts on seats and eyes on screens is a necessity for a UFC newbie trying to earn a permanent slot on the biggest stage.
The English kickboxing standout says: “I’ve had three ‘Fight of the Night’ awards and, although defeat hurt at the time, I feels as though I lost in some kind of style. I want to get asked back and I’d hate to get that phone call telling me I’d been cut because I was boring.
“I love the sport, I love competing and I’m prepared to lay it all on the line for 15 minutes every time. That might not be enough to get me the victory, but I know it’s enough to ensure I keep entertaining the fans and picking up bonuses. And that means more to me than anything else.”
A new breed of competitors have also emerged and perfected the art of earning both high-profile victories and bonus cheques at the same time. From Joe Lauzon’s tendency for spectacular submissions to Carlos Condit’s audacious and extravagant knockouts, dollar signs are increasingly being matched to a rise in the rankings.
While a whole roster of guys winging away with wild abandon to win extra money would be an entertaining experience, the reality is far more practical. Fighters are forced to play to their strengths, to build a winning streak and ultimately put food on the table.
A welterweight who has drawn more criticism than most, despite operating at an elite level throughout his career, is Jon Fitch. Seemingly the antithesis of a bonus hunter, Fitch flipped the script on his critics to win ‘Fight of the Night’ in his last bout, and openly admitted the change in style was born out of necessity.
Fitch edged past hometown favourite Erick Silva at UFC 153 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in a back-and-forth battle that earned both men $70,000 bonus cheques. For Fitch it was a revelation, as the 34-year-old had only picked up one post-fight bonus prior to the Silva scrap in a seven-year stint in the UFC.
Priot to fighting in Brazil, Fitch revealed he was struggling to make ends meet and needed to adopt a more expansive game plan to help pay the bills, and ultimately it brought the very best and most exciting Jon Fitch into the Octagon in Brazil.
He says: “Things had been a little rough on my bank account. In the environment we’re in right now, if you’re not finding a way into the cage you’re not getting paid. It doesn’t matter how many times you win, it doesn’t matter who you’ve beaten. All that matters is: do you sell tickets?
“With that acceptance and my priorities changing towards me needing to take care of my family, me needing to make money, you have to make those changes, you have to adapt and evolve into the system that’s there.”
Former TUF contestant Tom Lawlor is a regular in the bonus column, but that’s not stopped the UFC vet from dealing with financial hardship over the past 12 months. ‘Filthy’ Tom is a member of the exclusive ‘Triple Crown Club’ of fighters that have collected all three types of post-fight bonus.
The fun-loving middleweight knocked out Jason MacDonald in under a minute in May, earning a cheque for $40,000 dollars. He then admitted in his post-fight interview with Ariel Helwani that the extra money was badly needed. “I’ll be honest. I’m broke,” he said, “I have no money. This money is going to be the first time I’ve deposited a cheque in over a year. I had to borrow money from friends and family in order to go into this fight. This means a lot to me mentally and it means a lot to my bank account.”
While Anderson Silva will surely take pride in his place on top of the overall standings for bonus wins, a sub-culture has been created of guys putting their all into picking up extra cheques to keep their heads above water.
During the past two years the UFC has extended their bonus beyond exploits in the cage, with Zuffa committing to hand out $240,000 over a full calendar year based on their roster’s Twitter activity.
Dolling out incentives to improve performances is an idea that has gone far beyond a fun element designed to raise the stakes on fight night. What started out as an innovative tool, with the intention to garner interest in the lower reaches of a UFC card, has grown into a behemoth – that impacts upon strategy and reputation in equal measure.
Dana White often enjoys repeating the well-worn sound bite that fighters have a short window to maximise their opportunity to make money and forge a way to the top of the sport. And the post-fight bonus has gone beyond its initial premise of rewarding explosive knockouts or limb-altering submissions.
Winning bonus recognition has become the acid test for UFC combatants, a barometer of talent, heart and skill for a whole host of guys desperate to prove they deserve their seat at the sport’s top table.
5 Bonus Bonanzas to Remember
Chris Lytle vs Dan Hardy
UFC Live, August 14th 2011
‘Lights Out’ took home two bonuses of $65,000 each for ‘Fight...’ and ‘Submission of the Night’ after stopping ‘The Outlaw’ in his farewell performance. Lytle also received a brand-new Harley Davidson for his efforts.
Joe Lauzon vs Jamie Varner
UFC on Fox, August 4th 2012
Serial bonus winner Lauzon took home a cool $100,000 after a three-round war with Varner last summer. ‘J-Lau’ was awarded ‘Fight...’ and ‘Submission of the Night’ after finishing a grueling contest with a triangle.
Edson Barboza vs Terry Etim
UFC 142, January 14th 2012
Brazilian lightweight standout Barboza added a whopping $130,000 to his purse after a terrific scrap with Etim. He also earned a permanent place on any worthwhile MMA highlight reel with the stunning wheel-kick knockout in the third round of the ‘Fight of the Night’ battle.
Brian Ebersole vs Dennis Hallman
UFC 133, August 6th 2011
Wily veteran Ebersole ensured his bonus credentials would never be forgotten in only his second UFC bout. The American, based Down Under, picked up an honorary cheque of $70,000 from Dana White for fast dismissing Hallman and his skin-tight trunks from the Octagon in the first round of their 170lb clash.
Anderson Silva vs Forrest Griffin
UFC 101, August 8th 2009
‘The Spider’ is never far from the bonus equation and continued his incredible run when he finished Forrest in the first round with a ruthless display. Silva earned two additional cheques for $60,000, after being handed ‘KO...’ and ‘Fight of the Night.’ Not bad for less than four minutes’ work.
...
