The UFC was spoiled for choice when it came to selecting the bonus winners from Saturday’s action-packed card in Doha. Competition was fierce given the number of exciting finishes, but the promotion identified four standout performers, each earning an additional $50,000 for their efforts at UFC Fight Night 265.
Performance of the Night: Luke Riley
Anyone who watched Luke Riley (12-0 MMA, 1-0 UFC) during his time under the Cage Warriors banner wouldn’t have been surprised to see him deliver such an emphatic finish in his UFC debut. The Next Generation prospect overcame a challenging opening round before finding Bogdan Grad’s chin early in Round 2, announcing his arrival on the sport’s biggest stage. The knockout is the latest in a long list of violent finishes from the Liverpudlian, and this one earned him an extra $50,000.
Performance of the Night: Kyoji Horiguchi
Fans of a certain vintage will remember how good Kyoji Horiguchi (35-5 MMA, 8-1 UFC) was during his first UFC run. He left the promotion on a four-fight win streak in 2016 and based on how he dominated Tagir Ulanbekov before submitting him in Round 3, it appears he’s ready to pick up right where he left off by re-entering the title conversation at 125 pounds.
Performance of the Night: Waldo Cortes-Acosta
Waldo Cortes-Acosta (16-2 MMA, 9-2 UFC) took a gamble, and it paid off in a big way. Stepping in on extremely short notice to replace Serghei Spivac, he scored his second knockout win in just three weeks. His 82-second finish of Shamil Gaziev moves him to 4-1 on the year and puts another $50,000 in his pocket.
Performance of the Night: Arman Tsarukyan
He needed that. Arman Tsarukyan (23-3 MMA, 10-2 UFC) finally returned to the Octagon after 19 months away and delivered one of the best performances of his career, submitting Dan Hooker in Round 2 of Saturday’s main event. With rumors swirling about a potential Ilia Topuria vs. Paddy Pimblett title fight, Tsarukyan made his case for the next shot in emphatic fashion and collected a $50,000 bonus for good measure.
