Niklas Backstrom can pay back girlfriend with UFC Fight Night 41 bonus

BERLIN – UFC featherweight Niklas Backstrom sounded a barbaric yelp when the promotion announced he had won a $50,000 “Performance of the Night” bonus at UFC Fight Night 41.

The reaction wasn’t unlike his celebration post-fight after submitting Tom Niinimaki (21-6-1 MMA, 1-1 UFC) in the event’s main card opener on FOX Sports 1, though it was a slightly different emotion. Backstrom (8-0 MMA, 1-0 UFC) tearfully said his win was a dream come true for the UFC newcomer.

As Backstrom told reporters after calming down, he had good reason to be happy. That money is going to immediate use.

“I know I owe my girlfriend for rent,” he said at the post-event press conference. “I’ll do something cool. Yeah, it’s weird.”

For many watching his fight, the result was out of the norm, too. Niinimaki had won 12 straight and was a solid 2-to-1 favorite in betting lines. Backstrom, meanwhile, was an unproven commodity.

But the 24-year-old Sweden native also was undefeated and hailed from from one of the country’s premier teams, which boasted multiple UFC vets including current No. 1 light heavyweight contender Alexander Gustafsson.

The undefeated Backstrom landed a sledgehammer knee that stunned Niinimaki and set up a rear-naked choke cinched without the aid of his legs. It was one of the night’s biggest upsets.

It also didn’t come without injury to Backstrom, who said one of his toes is pointing out and to the left after the fight.

But, as he added, “I’m not too bothered about this. I’ve got money now.”

For complete coverage of UFC Fight Night 41, stay tuned to the UFC Events section of the site.