The UFC rewarded standout performances in Shanghai on Saturday with four post-fight bonuses. Following UFC Fight Night 257 at the Mercedes-Benz Arena, a quartet of fighters received an additional $50,000 each, with the night’s headliner — who pulled off a major upset — among those recognized.
Performance of the Night: Uran Satybaldiev
Uran Satybaldiev (10-1 MMA, 1-1 UFC) made his mark on the opening fight of the evening, becoming only the fifth fighter in UFC history to secure a victory by Ezekiel choke. The former LFA light heavyweight champion forced Diyar Nurgozhay (10-2 MMA, 0-2 UFC) to tap, not only claiming his first win inside the Octagon but also pocketing a well-earned $50,000 bonus.
Performance of the Night: Kyle Daukaus
After being released from the UFC in 2022, Kyle Daukaus (16-4 MMA, 3-4 UFC) fought his way back by capturing CFFC gold. His return on Saturday couldn’t have gone any better — he stunned Michel Pereira (31-14 MMA, 9-5 UFC) with a crushing TKO in just 43 seconds. The emphatic finish marked a career-defining comeback and added another $50K to his paycheck.
Performance of the Night: Charles Johnson
Charles Johnson (18-7 MMA, 7-5 UFC) endured a difficult start against previously undefeated prospect Lone’er Kavanagh (9-1 MMA, 2-1 UFC). But momentum swung in the second when Johnson found his moment. As Kavanagh let his guard slip while retreating, Johnson capitalized with a perfectly timed shot that dropped him cold — handing Kavanagh the first loss of his career and securing Johnson a $50,000 bonus in the process.
Performance of the Night: Johnny Walker
Heading into the Shanghai main event, Johnny Walker (22-9 MMA, 8-6 UFC) wasn’t expected to spoil the party for local favorite Zhang Mingyang (19-7 MMA, 3-1 UFC). After an early takedown attempt backfired and left him stuck on his back for much of Round 1, the outlook wasn’t promising. But Walker flipped the script in the second frame with a punishing series of calf kicks. The third one buckled Zhang, sending him to the canvas, and Walker wasted no time swarming for the stoppage — sealing the upset win and pocketing an extra $50,000 in bonus money.
