The UFC handed out four bonuses following Saturday’s event in Mexico, including two to first-time prospects in the promotion.
After UFC Fight Night 268, four fighters received an additional $100,000 in bonuses for their performance at CDMX Arena in Mexico City. In addition, five other fighters received additional checks of $25,000 for not receiving bonuses. Check out the list below.
advertise
Fight of the Night: Regina Tarin, Ernesta Kareckaite ($100,000 each)
Regina Tarin (8-0 MMA, 1-0 UFC) reportedly did not sign with the UFC when she arrived in Mexico City. She just wanted someone to fall off the cards. As it happens, instead of competing at flyweight, she competed at 130 pounds and defeated Ernesta Kareckaite (6-2-1 MMA, 1-1 UFC) via unanimous decision in the preliminary round.
Performance of the Night: Lone’er Kavanagh ($100,000)
Lone’er Kavanagh (10-1 MMA, 3-1 UFC) was coming off a loss but got the call to head to enemy territory to fight Brandon Moreno (23-10-2 MMA, 11-7-2 UFC) on just three weeks’ notice and didn’t back down. The unranked Kavanagh, who defeated the former flyweight champion in a frustrating unanimous decision at Moreno’s home altitude, should make a big jump in the UFC’s official rankings.
advertise
Performer of the Night: Imanol Rodriguez ($100,000)
Imano Rodriguez (7-0 MMA, 1-0 UFC) had a big moment in the first round when Kevin Borjas (10-5 MMA, 1-4 UFC) knocked him down and appeared to be on the verge of finishing him. But Rodriguez survived, scored a big knockdown and made it to the second round. There, he swept a right hand over the top of Borjas’ head to get him to his feet, whereupon he quickly shoved him away to make a statement at flyweight.
Finishing bonus: King Green ($25,000)
King Green (34-17-1 MMA, 15-12-1 UFC) continues to overcome the odds later in his career. The 39-year-old was the underdog against Daniel Zelhuber (15-4 MMA, 3-4 UFC), but he knocked the young Mexican fighter down in front of his home fans, pounded him with punches that knocked him off his feet, then persisted and caused trouble with five seconds left in the middle. Zelhuber’s story is not over yet.
advertise
Finisher Bonus: Ryan Gandra ($25,000)
Ryan Gandra (9-1 MMA, 1-0 UFC) wasted no time in his UFC debut. He worked Jose Medina (11-7 MMA, 0-4 UFC) with right hands and then dropped him to the ground with an elbow. It was clear that Medina was briefly absent, and although he subsequently tried to grapple with the referee and protest the timeout, replays showed that the timeout was allowed – for just 41 seconds.
Finishing bonus: Javier Reyes ($25,000)
Javier Reyes (23-5 MMA, 1-0 UFC) scored some clean shots early against crafty long-time UFC fighter Douglas Silva de Andrade (29-7 MMA, 7-7 UFC) and was locked in a close fight. But when Silva de Andrade let his guard down slightly, Reyes held on to the lead and finished with just one second remaining in the opening frame.
advertise
Finishing bonus: Francis Marshall ($25,000)
Francis Marshall (9-3 MMA, 3-3 UFC) had to get past a spinning kick from Eric Silva (9-4 MMA, 0-3 UFC), but once he got the takedown, the fight was under his control. Marshall sealed the victory with a rear-naked choke midway through the round.
Finishing bonus: Damian Pinas ($25,000)
It’s hard to imagine a better UFC debut than that of Damian Pinas (9-1 MMA, 1-0 UFC), who knocked out Wesley Schultz (8-3 MMA, 0-1 UFC) early in their middleweight bout. When Schultz got back to his feet, Pinas bided his time before knocking him down midway through the first round, dealing more damage and a TKO.
This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: UFC Mexico Prize Money: Only One of Six Fights to Win $100,000
