Most Performance Bonuses in UFC History

The UFC has employed performance bonuses at every event to lure its fighters to deliver remarkable performances for fans to enjoy. These performance bonuses range from knockout of the night, submission of the night, fight of the night and performance of the night categories. It usually is $50,000 per bonus.

With four classifications determining the incentive, some athletes received multiple bonuses throughout their fighting careers, be it for a spectacular finish, a come-from-behind victory, or an overall masterful performance. These bonuses also help fans pick their favorites in online sports betting.

Here are the top five UFC fighters with the most performance bonuses.

1. Charles Oliveira – 21 bonuses

Charles Oliveira isn’t only the record holder for the most finishes in UFC history, but he also has the most performance bonuses with 21. His most recent one was when he submitted Mateusz Gamrot in October at the UFC Rio card.

‘’Do Bronx’’ picked up his first-ever bonus in his UFC debut in August 2012 when he submitted Darren Elkins in under one minute of the first round. Since then, Oliveira terrorized both the featherweight and lightweight divisions to secure multiple $50,000 in additional payouts.

2. Donald Cerrone – 18 bonuses

Next to Oliveira in most performance bonuses in UFC history is UFC legend Donald Cerrone. 

‘’Cowboy’’ appeared in 38 bouts under the UFC and made his debut in February 2011, where he submitted Paul Kelly in two rounds to earn his first-ever bonus with the fight of the night honor. 

After that, Cerrone racked up one bonus after another and achieved 18 in total. He has three knockout of the night, two submission of the night, six fight of the night, and seven performance of the night awards.

3. Nate Diaz – 16 bonuses

There is no denying that Nate Diaz is among the crowd’s darlings in the UFC. 

His never-ending heart in every match is unbelievable, even if he knows he is losing. He keeps pushing forward and puts his opponent on the defensive. Because of this fan-fighting style, Diaz gained a massive following and sixteen performance bonuses.

4. Jim Miller – 15 bonuses

Jim Miller is another UFC legend who recorded the fourth-most performance bonuses in UFC history with 15. His incredible longevity has allowed him to etch his name in the history books.

He’s one of the few fighters in the promotion’s history to compete across three decades since his octagon debut in October 2008. His most recent fight was against Chase Hooper in April at UFC 314, and although he dropped that fight unanimously, he still kept the fight competitive until the final bell.

5. Dustin Poirier – 15 bonuses

Like Diaz, former UFC interim lightweight champion Dustin Poirier is a beloved fighter among fans for his explosive fighting style and his character outside the octagon. Despite not winning an undisputed title, “The Diamond” won himself 15 performance bonuses from the Las Vegas-based promotion.

Poirier appeared in 31 UFC fights since his promotional debut in January 2011. His retirement fight took place in July at UFC 318 against Max Holloway and ended in a unanimous decision loss.