An extra $100,000 hit the pockets of both Alexander Volkanovski and Petr Yan after Saturday’s wild UFC 333 card in Abu Dhabi, where fighters absolutely brought the heat and cashed out big. This wasn’t just a night for title defenses, it was a night for serious financial rewards, highlighting how much was on the line for everyone stepping into the Etihad Arena.
Top Dogs Defend and Earn Big
The main event saw UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski absolutely dominate. He retained his title with a second-round TKO victory over the previously undefeated Movsar Evloev. Volkanovski’s performance was so good, he snagged one of the $100,000 Performance of the Night bonuses. Talk about putting your money where your mouth is, right? In the co-main event, Petr Yan showed he still runs the bantamweight division, pulling off a close decision win against former champion Merab Dvalishvili. These two rivals threw down in what was rightly called the Fight of the Night, and guess what? That honor came with a cool $100,000 for each of them. But wait, there was another $100,000 Performance of the Night bonus handed out, and that went to Lone’er Kavanagh. Three fighters, three six-figure paydays. Wild.
Finishes and Comebacks Spark Even More Payouts
The cash didn’t stop with the big bonuses either. UFC 333 was packed with action, tallying up a total of seven stoppages throughout the night. That meant five more fighters walked away with a $25,000 finish bonus. Aaron Pico was one of them, earning his first finish in the UFC since joining the promotion last summer with a first-round TKO win over Losene Keita. That’s a huge moment for him, getting that first one under the belt and a nice bonus to go with it. Dominick Reyes also made a statement, bagging his second straight win with a first-round TKO over Azamat Murzakanov. Reyes is clearly working his way back into title contention in the light heavyweight division, and this bonus is just icing on the cake for that comeback trail. Abdul Rakhman Yakhyaev, Abus Magomedov, and Kody Steele also joined the $25,000 finish bonus club.
Next up, the UFC is heading to Las Vegas for an Oct. 31 Fight Night card. Get ready for a lightweight showdown between Renato Moicano and Tom Nolan headlining that one. After the non-stop action and massive payouts at UFC 333, you know the fighters are going to be hungry to put on another show.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Bleacher Report.
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