UFC 319 lit up Chicago with a night full of action, and four fighters walked away with an extra $50,000 in UFC 319 bonuses.
Khamzat Chimaev may not have won over the crowd, but he impressed UFC officials enough to cash in. The unbeaten star dominated Dricus Du Plessis in the main event, relying heavily on his grappling to neutralize the South African over five rounds. The fight ended in a unanimous decision, crowning Chimaev the new middleweight champion and securing him one of the evening’s Performance of the Night bonuses.
“Chimaev controlled Du Plessis from start to finish,” UFC officials announced. “His dominance throughout the bout earned him an extra $50,000 bonus.”
The co-main event delivered a highlight-reel finish from Lerone Murphy. The undefeated featherweight spoiled Aaron Pico’s UFC debut by landing a perfectly timed spinning back elbow late in the first round. The knockout silenced Pico and electrified the Chicago crowd, earning Murphy both the win and a well-deserved bonus.
“Murphy’s finish was spectacular,” UFC brass said. “Moments like that are why we reward fighters who take risks and deliver excitement.”
Carlos Prates also added his name to the bonus list with another spinning back elbow knockout. Facing Geoff Neal, Prates closed the show with just one second left in the opening round, flooring Neal and forcing the stoppage. The victory improved Prates to 5-1 in the UFC, with all five wins coming by knockout.
“Prates continues to prove he’s one of the most dangerous strikers in the division,” the UFC noted after the event.
Rounding out the UFC 319 bonuses was Tim Elliott. The flyweight veteran opened the main card with a crafty submission win over Kai Asakura. After using his awkward style to confuse the debutant, Elliott secured a guillotine choke in the second round to seal the deal and pocket his bonus.
The four fighters—Khamzat Chimaev, Lerone Murphy, Carlos Prates, and Tim Elliott—walked away with extra cash on a night that delivered both technical dominance and spectacular finishes.
