A brutal submission and heart-warming champion upset were not surprises when the UFC 263 performances bonuses were handed out. A seven-second knockout, the fourth-fastest in company history and first among lightweights, was quite the surprise.
A total of four $50,000 bonuses were awarded by the UFC following Saturday’s pay-per-view event at Gila River Area: Paul Craig, Brandon Moreno, Drew Dober and Brad Riddell.
Craig earned his bonus for a brutal first-round armbar of Jamahal Hill in the pay-per-view opener. Hill was transported to the hospital with an arm that was suspected to be broken, but his team later confirmed that he only suffered a dislocation.
In the co-main event, Moreno submitted Deiveson Figueiredo to capture the flyweight title. He became the first Mexican-born champion in the UFC and broke down with emotion as his family came into the octagon after his win.
And the “Fight of the Night” winners were Dober and Riddell, who went toe-to-toe for three rounds, slugging it out. Riddell ultimately captured the decision, but the fight drew big cheers from the crowd.
Absent from the official list of bonuses was Terrance McKinney, who knocked out Matt Frevola in just seven seconds with a one-two down the pipe. The UFC newcomer took the fight on eight days’ notice and injured his knee while celebrating his win.
Thankfully for McKinney, UFC President Dana White said at the post-fight press conference that while the fighter wouldn’t get an official bonus, he would receive an unofficial one.