When Dana White Couldn’t Help Himself After an Impressive Debut by Diego Lopes and Ended Up Doing the Unexpected for the UFC Prospect

UFC CEO Dana White is known for showing his appreciation for fighters that impress him in the cage. The UFC usually grants performance bonuses to fighters as a way to motivate them to put on a show for the fans. These bonuses usually range from knockout of the night & submission of the night to fight of the night & performance of the night. Each category usually grants the fighter a $50,000 addition to their purse.

However, winning your fight is not necessarily required to get the bonus! In the past, the UFC and Dana White have granted bonuses to fighters who show incredible grit and resilience even in a losing effort. Let’s look back at one of these nights when a fighter making his debut in the promotion impressed White enough to secure multiple bonuses in the same night!

Dana White was impressed by UFC newcomer enough to grant him multiple bonuses

At UFC 288, Brazilian fighter Diego Lopes was making his debut in the UFC. However, his addition to the card came as a late replacement to face 10th-ranked featherweight contender, Movsar Evloev. Lopes was given only 5 days’ notice to prepare for this fight.

The bout saw the Russian fighter dominate a majority of the affair. However, Lopes threatened with submissions whenever he had the opportunity. In the 3rd and final round, Lopes secured a deep kneebar but the Russian managed to survive till the bell despite being in visible pain.

Dana White was so impressed with the debuting fighter’s performance that he personally spoke to him after the fight. In the video, White can be seen speaking to Lopes via a translator. He tells the fighter that his performance impressed him enough that he will receive double his earnings for the fight!

During the post-fight press conference, White came out to show his appreciation for the fighter once more. He stated that Lopes will also be receiving a $50,000 Fight of the Night award as well!

White noted, “Awesome. Incredible performance. The kid has got a ton of heart, he’s an absolute dog [and] I loved every minute of it”

The interaction highlights White’s appreciation for fighters who put on entertaining fights and draw more eyes to the promotion. And there have been several other contenders who can claim to be the ‘most entertaining fighter’ in the UFC!

‘Do Bronx’ and ‘Cowboy’s history of performance bonuses in the UFC

UFC fighters earn bonuses for spectacular performances as an incentive to put on great shows for fans watching around the world. The bonuses act as a way for fighters to leave it all in the cage without worrying about the impact a loss would have on their image- as evidenced by Lopes and his bonuses coming after he lost his fight!

Charles Oliveira, with 19 bonuses, recently surpassed Donald Cerrone as the fighter with the most bonuses in the UFC. Oliveira has a stellar career to show off, with various accolades that include a UFC lightweight title and 19 performance bonuses. ‘Do Bronx’ also holds the record for the most submissions in the promotion’s history with 16 to his name!

Read More: “Dana (White) Wants It to Work Out That Way”- Conor McGregor’s Much-Anticipated Comeback Predicted for UFC 300

Cerrone was the previous record holder with 18 performance bonuses. The retired UFC veteran showcased incredible skills, capable of ending a fight both on the ground and on the feet. His multiple-hit combo on Rick Story at UFC 202 is still one of the best striking displays in UFC history! 

Do you think the UFC should increase the bonus amount for fighters in the future? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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