The Ultimate Fighting Championship released the winners of the fighter bonuses stemming from Saturday’s UFC on FOX 26 fight card in Winnipeg, Canada. Alessio Di Chirico, Nordine Taleb, Julian Marquez, and Darren Stewart took home the $50,000 performance incentives.
Fight of the Night honors went to Marquez and Darren Stewart for their middleweight war. Marquez earned his UFC contract with a devastating head kick knockout on Dana White’s Tuesday Night Contender Series. He showed on Saturday that he belongs in the big show. Midway through the second frame, Marquez landed a elbow on Stewart that caused Stewart to look for a takedown. Marquez quickly slapped on a guillotine choke that forced Stewart to tap out.
Taleb earned a Performance of the Night bonus for his first-round knockout over Danny Roberts. It took Taleb less than a minute to finish Roberts. Taleb landed a head kick that hurt Roberts. He quickly followed up with a right hand that forced the referee to step in and stop the action just 59 seconds into the fight.
Di Chirico banked the second Performance of the Night bonus for his second-round knockout of Oluwale Bamgbose. During a wild exchange, Di Chirico landed a knee that left Bamgbose face-first on the canvas. It was a walk-off KO and worth a bonus.
UFC on FOX 26 featured 11 bouts. Five fights ended in knockout, five went the distance, and one ended with a submission.
