UFC 257 Bonuses: Michael Chandler Receives $50K for Impressive Octagon Debut

Michael Chandler had an Ultimate Fighting Championship debut to remember, and it helped make his payday that much better.

The former Bellator MMA lightweight king made short work of Dan Hooker in the UFC 257 co-main event, an effort that netted him a $50,000 “Performance of the Night” bonus. The finishing sequence began when Chandler floored his foe with a right hand to the body followed by a left hook upstairs. From there, he unloaded with right hands until the bout was stopped 2:30 into Round 1.

Meanwhile, Dustin Poirier gained revenge and a $50,000 “Performance of the Night” check for his second-round stoppage of Conor McGregor in the lightweight main event. Poirier attacked his foe’s calf with low kicks and backed him into the fence, where he dropped the Irishman with a right hook and sealed his win with a barrage of follow-up strikes at the 2:32 mark of the frame.

Earlier, Marina Rodriguez garnered a $50,000 “Performance of the Night” award for her upset victory against Amanda Ribas in a featured strawweight affair. After spending most of Round 1 on her back, Rodriguez rocked Ribas with a right hook and after a period of confusion, finished her foe off 54 seconds into the second frame.

Finally, Makhmud Muradov captured the card’s fourth $50,000 “Performance of the Night” bonus for an impressive finish of Andrew Sanchez in a middleweight clash. In Round 3, Muradov put Sanchez on wobbly legs with an overhand right, followed up with a flying knee and teed off with punches against the fence for a stoppage 2:59 into the period.