UFC 328 bonuses: Van, Taira all-time flyweight scrap gets big checks

The UFC handed out four bonuses after Saturday’s card in New Jersey, including a pair to two of the four title fighters on the show.

After UFC 328, four fighters picked up an extra $100,000 for their performances at Prudential Center in Newark. Additionally, four fighters got $25,000 extra checks for finishes that weren’t bonus-winners. 

Check out the list of winners below. 

Fight of the Night: Joshua Van, Tatsuro Taira ($100,000 each)

There was little doubt by the time Joshua Van (17-2 MMA, 10-1 UFC) got his hand raised against Tatsuro Taira (18-2 MMA, 8-2 UFC) that the two had turned in a legendary title fight. Van survived early trouble from Taira to knock him out in the fifth round to retain the flyweight belt. Van was one of few champions in UFC title fight history who was an underdog, but after a back-and-forth war in the co-main event, he put Taira away. 

Performance of the Night: Jim Miller ($100,000)

After the longest layoff of his career, which included a surgery plus a frightening time with his son’s cancer treatment, Jim Miller (39-19 MMA, 28-18 UFC) crushed Jared Gordon (21-9 MMA, 9-8 UFC) with a first-round arm-triangle choke. 

Performance of the Night: Yaroslav Amosov ($100,000)

Yaroslav Amosov (30-1 MMA, 2-0 UFC) did something few former Bellator standouts have done lately, and that’s win in the UFC. The former Bellator welterweight champion submitted Joel Alvarez (23-4 MMA, 8-3 UFC) in the second round.

Finish bonus: Baisangur Susurkaev ($25,000)

Baisangur Susurkaev (12-0 MMA, 3-0 UFC) didn’t get a tap from Djorden Santos (11-3 MMA, 1-2 UFC) with his rear-naked choke. It was because Santos went to sleep and had no choice. Susurkaev kept his undefeated record intact.

Finish bonus: Grant Dawson ($25,000)

Grant Dawson (24-3-1 MMA, 12-2-1 UFC) had to rally for a comeback rear-naked choke over Mateusz Rebecki (20-5 MMA, 4-4 UFC) with just 18 seconds left in the third round. Dawson suffered a second-round knockdown, but rallied to dominate the final frame and got his 14th career submission win.

Finish bonus: Ateba Gautier ($25,000)

Ateba Gautier (11-1 MMA, 5-0 UFC) was a massive betting favorite, but didn’t necessarily look like one in the first round. He was patient in the first five minutes. But in the second, he knocked out Ozzy Diaz (10-4 MMA, 1-2 UFC) with a big overhand right, which gave him five straight wins. He used his post-fight interview to go big with a callout of former middleweight champion Israel Adesanya.

Finish bonus: King Green ($25,000)

King Green (35-17-1 MMA, 16-12-1 UFC) gave Jeremy Stephens (29-23 MMA, 15-20 UFC) his just desserts with a dominant win and a rear-naked choke with 40 seconds left in the opening round. Green hit a takedown, then punished Stephens with heavy ground-and-pound before he locked in a rear-naked choke to open the main card. It was Green’s third straight win – and made Stephens the first fighter in UFC history to have 20 losses in the promotion. To make matters worse for Stephens, maybe desserts actually were an issue: He missed weight by 4 pounds, meaning 30 percent of his purse is going to Green on top of Green’s $25K for the finish.