In the UFC octagon, fighters don’t just battle for titles—they vie for bonus cash too. Extra awards for dazzling knockouts, slick submissions or epic brawls add a thrilling twist to every fight.
Dana White and his crew reward these standout moments based on technical skill, raw power and sheer excitement. Their choices blend impressive stats with pure gut instinct, turning each bout into a high-stakes showdown.
Whether it’s a “Fight of the Night” masterpiece or a fan-voted gem, bonus checks can skyrocket a fighter’s earnings overnight and inspire even bolder performances in the electrifying world of MMA.
Bonus types
In today’s Ultimate Fighting Championship, fighters aren’t just battling for titles—they’re also vying for eye-popping bonus awards. The main categories are “Fight of the Night” and “Performance of the Night“.
Tom Aspinall celebrates after defeating Alexander Volkov during UFC Fight Night: Volkov v Aspinall at the The O2 Arena on March 19, 2022. (Source: Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)
Before 2014, the UFC also recognized knockouts and submissions separately, but those have been merged into one performance bonus to celebrate all exhilarating finishes and moments of technical brilliance.
Payout amounts
Typically, fighters pocket a bonus of about $50,000 after a standout fight. However, on marquee nights like UFC 300, Dana White has ramped those figures up to as much as $300,000 per bonus, turning extraordinary performances into life-changing windfalls.
For instance, Charles Oliveira has amassed nearly $950,000 purely from bonus awards over his career, underscoring how crucial these extra payments are for many competitors, as The Sun and Talk Sports reported.
Selection process
Bonus selections are determined by a mix of in-house analysis and, occasionally, fan participation. UFC president Dana White and his team evaluate each bout’s technical execution, heart and the intensity of the competition.
Natalia Silva of Brazil celebrates defeating Jasmine Jasudavicius of Canada in their women’s flyweight fight at the UFC Fight Night event at Moody Center on June 18, 2022. (Source: Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)
They weigh factors such as the significance of the opponent, the level of risk taken and the overall excitement created in the Octagon. In some cases, fans help tip the scales through “Fan Bonus of the Night” votes, adding another layer to this subjective process.
Controversial picks
Not every bonus pick sets the crowd roaring—controversy is never far behind. Several fighters have openly expressed their discontent when seemingly deserving performances are overlooked.
Disputes such as those involving Al Iaquinta or, more recently, Ilia Topuria—who decried his $50K payout after a historic knockout—illustrate the friction between subjective judgment and fighter expectations. These contentious picks have fueled ongoing debates about fairness and transparency within bonus awards.
