UFC Nashville delivered action from start to finish, and four fighters walked away with well-deserved UFC bonuses on a night full of highlight moments and controversy. From Derrick Lewis’ bizarre main event finish to a blood-and-guts brawl between featherweights, the card lived up to its billing.
The event was headlined by a heavyweight clash between Derrick Lewis and Tallison Teixeira, which ended just 35 seconds in. Lewis claimed he had been poked in the eye, then quickly turned around and floored Teixeira with a clean punch. The referee allowed a brief ground-and-pound exchange before Teixeira scrambled up, only for Lewis to land two more shots that prompted an odd and abrupt stoppage.
The co-main event saw welterweights Stephen Thompson and Gabriel Bonfim go to war. Bonfim dropped ‘Wonderboy’ in the second round, but Thompson came back strong with a head kick before the horn. They traded heavy blows in the final round, and Bonfim walked away with a split decision win—one that didn’t sit well with every fan in attendance.
When the dust settled, UFC officials announced the UFC bonuses handed out during the post-fight press conference. As always, $50,000 went to each recipient.
“Fight of the Night” honors went to Morgan Charriere and Nate Landwehr for their all-out war in the featherweight division. The bout ended with Charriere stopping Landwehr in the third round, but both fighters earned every dollar of their bonus.
“The French welterweight earned his second Fight of the Night award Saturday after winning a slugfest against Nate Landwehr at UFC Nashville.”
“Both men collect an extra $50,000 for the accolade, and for Charriere, this is his fourth post-fight bonus in five UFC appearances.”
“Landwehr is no stranger to thrilling the fans either. Though the Tennessee native lost in his home state, he has now earned five Fight Night awards in his 10-fight UFC career.”
Two “Performance of the Night” bonuses went to fighters from the preliminary card who made strong statements.
Valter Walker finally got his due, securing his first UFC bonus after finishing Kennedy Nzechukwu with a slick first-round heel hook. The submission marked his third straight win via the same move, a rare feat at any level of the sport.
“Walker pulled off a truly rare feat, securing a heel hook submission for a third straight fight. Though a bonus eluded him the past two times, Walker has finally earned his first $50,000 UFC bonus.”
Fatima Kline opened the card and made sure fans remembered her name. She dominated Melissa Martinez for two rounds before sealing the deal with a head kick TKO in Round 3. It was a huge night for the strawweight prospect, who also celebrated her 25th birthday.
“Kline opened UFC Nashville with a bang, outworking Melissa Martinez for two rounds before putting her down with a head kick in Round 3.”
“The strawweight prospect celebrated her 25th birthday on Saturday and can now claim a five-figure check as a gift from her employers.”
The UFC bonuses at Nashville rewarded the right performances, giving the spotlight to fighters who showed heart, skill, and finishing power. Whether in the prelims or under the lights of the main card, each bonus winner made a strong case to move forward in their respective divisions.
