UFC Money Rain: Who Received $100,000 and Who Left Empty-Handed?

Hosted in the Chinese city of Shanghai, UFC Fight Night 286 was remembered not only for its intense and uncompromising fights but also for the significant financial bonuses awarded to the participants. The world's leading promotion distributed a total of four $100,000 main bonuses following the event, along with additional rewards for several athletes who secured early finishes.

In particular, Song Yadong, who defeated the undefeated favorite in the main event, and other athletes who displayed fierce competition became the heroes of the night.

$100,000 Main Heroes and Nominations

The UFC leadership awarded the most impressive fighters with special $100,000 checks:

• “Performance of the Night” — Song Yadong: The 28-year-old Chinese star Umar Nurmagomedovalthough he lost the first round on all three judges' scorecards in the bout against, he knocked his opponent off balance with a counter-strike in the second round, secured a knockout on the ground, and earned a $100,000 bonus;

• “Performance of the Night” — Belal Hassan: The Indonesian athlete, making his league debut, secured a $100,000 reward by brilliantly knocking out Nilson Rojas in the second round;

• “Fight of the Night” — Liu Ce and Levi Rodriguez Jr.: The uncompromising clash, which ended with a brilliant knockout by Liu Ce at 4:26 of the first round, was named Fight of the Night. The defeated Levi Rodriguez Jr. was also awarded a $100,000 bonus, just like Liu Ce.

$25,000 Additional Rewards and Weight Penalties

The promotion did not ignore other athletes who won by stoppage, but some fighters fell victim to strict rules:

• Recipients of $25,000: Those who defeated their opponents early Denise Gomes, Kai Asakura, Ryo Suruya, Francesco Nuzzi, and Hector Santiago received an additional $25,000 reward each;

• Those who missed out on bonuses due to weight: Despite finishing their fights early, Julia Polastri and Andre Lima were officially denied bonuses because they failed to meet the weight limit at the official weigh-in.