The UFC closed out its final ESPN-era main event with four fighters earning post-fight bonuses after an electric night at T-Mobile Arena. When the dust settled at UFC 323, four athletes collected an additional $50,000 for performances that stood out on a stacked card in Las Vegas.
Fight of the Night: Petr Yan defeated Merab Dvalishvili
Their rematch flipped the script from the first meeting. Petr Yan neutralized nearly every takedown attempt from champion Merab Dvalishvili and controlled large stretches of the striking exchanges. By shutting down the champ’s relentless pace and scoring with his own offensive wrestling, Yan pulled off the upset to reclaim the bantamweight title and become a two-time UFC champion.
Performance of the Night: Iwo Baraniewski
Iwo Baraniewski’s UFC debut barely lasted a minute, but it delivered pure chaos. Baraniewski and Ibo Aslan came out swinging with zero regard for defense, hurting each other multiple times in a frantic exchange. Ultimately, the undefeated Polish prospect connected with the fight-ending shot, capping off one of the most explosive 89-second bursts of action seen all year.
Performance of the Night: Manuel Torres
Manuel Torres wasn’t expected to be the favorite against Grant Dawson, but he didn’t need odds on his side. The Mexican finisher bulldozed through Dawson early, adding yet another first-round knockout to his résumé. All five of Torres’ UFC victories have ended in opening-round KOs — and each one has earned him a bonus.
