The UFC wrapped up its Saturday event in Brazil by awarding four post-fight bonuses, one of which went to the main-event victor who added yet another milestone to his growing list of promotional achievements.
Following UFC Fight Night 261 at Farmasi Arena in Rio de Janeiro, four standout fighters earned an additional $50,000 each for exceptional performances inside the Octagon. Here are the bonus recipients:
Performance of the Night: Julia Polastri
Julia Polastri (14-5 MMA, 2-2 UFC) delivered an impressive striking performance in her preliminary bout against seasoned veteran Karolina Kowalkiewicz. Polastri picked apart her opponent on the feet over the first two rounds in an entertaining contest, then rocked Kowalkiewicz with a perfectly placed high kick in the third before finishing her with a flurry of strikes against the cage.
Performance of the Night: Bia Mesquita
The UFC debut of one of the most decorated Brazilian Jiu Jitsu competitors of all time didn’t disappoint, as Bia Mesquita (6-0 MMA, 1-0 UFC) showcased her exceptional grappling acumen against Irina Alekseeva in a dominant opening round that even had commentator Mike Bisping questioning whether a 10-7 scorecard could be in order.
Mesquita got right back to work in the second round and submitted her opponent quickly, pocketing a $50,000 bonus in the process.
Performance of the Night: Vitor Petrino
Vitor Petrino (13-2 MMA, 6-2 UFC) blew Thomas Petersen away during their heavyweight encounter on the preliminary card. A huge uppercut left Petersen face down on the mat and landed Petrino an extra $50,000.
Performance of the Night: Charles Oliveira
Much of the talk ahead of UFC Rio surrounded Charles Oliveira’s (36-11 MMA, 24-11 UFC) numerous records and achievements during his UFC career. Facing a short-notice opponent who presented a completely different challenge to that of his predecessor Rafael Fiziev, “Do Bronx” made short work of Mateusz Gamrot, submitting the Pole in the 2nd round.
Oliveira has now extended many of his records. He is now 18-0 when fighting on Brazilian soil, is the owner of the most finishes (21) in UFC history, the most submissions (17), and the most Performance of the Night bonuses (14).
