UFC 293 Bonuses: New Champ Sean Strickland Gets $50K for Massive Upset Victory

One of the biggest upsets in Ultimate Fighting Championship history was quite profitable for Sean Strickland.

In addition to some championship hardware, Strickland received a $50,000 “Performance of the Night” bonus for his shocking unanimous decision triumph over Israel Adesanya in the UFC 293 headliner at Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney on Saturday night. A significant underdog heading into the fight, Strickland outlanded Adesanya over the course of five rounds to become the 13th middleweight title holder in promotion history.

Elsewhere, Manel Kape and Felipe dos Santos garnered “Fight of the Night” honors and $50,000 apiece for their spirited flyweight scrap. Kape, who was originally supposed to face Kai Kara-France, got all he could handle from dos Santos. Ultimately, the ex-Rizin Fighting Federation champion landed with superior power and accuracy to get the nod on the scorecards.

Finally, Justin Tafa captured the evening’s other $50,000 “Performance of the Night” check by making short work of Austen Lane in a heavyweight rematch. After their first meeting earlier this year ended prematurely due to an eye poke, Tafa left nothing to chance, as he dropped his foe with a left hook and finished the job with standing-to-ground punches 1:22 into the first frame.