UFC bonus awards are cash bonuses that are separate from individual fighters’ purse and are awarded after each event. The winners are an internal decision by UFC management.
The first recorded official bonus was at UFC Fight Night 3 and Melvin Guillard and Josh Neer were given the distinction of the first ever ‘Fight of the Night’. The first event that awarded all three bonuses was the Ultimate Fighter 3 finale.
Until 2014 a ‘Knockout of the Night’, ‘Submission of the Night’ and ‘Fight of the Night’ bonus was awarded and the amount varied.
On February 11th, the UFC standardized the structure, announcing it would award a ‘Fight of the Night’ and two ‘Performance of the Night’ bonuses and the amount would always be $50,000.
The six men on this list lead the pack in career bonuses and it’s no coincidence that they are six of the most exciting fighters to ever enter the Octagon.
6) Frankie Edgar: 10 bonuses, $480,000
Former UFC lightweight champion Frankie Edgar has a penchant for getting himself into wars in the Octagon. Competing in the UFC since 2007, Edgar first fought for the title at UFC 112, beating BJ Penn by decision to become the champion.
Edgar holds the distinction of the most cage time in UFC title history. Six of his title fights have resulted in a five round fight, totaling over two hours of time spent in the Octagon.
Edgar is also tied with Diego Sanchez for the most ‘Fight of the Night’ bonuses of all-time, seven. He also has a ‘Knockout of the Night’ and two ‘Performance of the Night’ bonuses on his record.
5) Chris Lytle: 10 bonuses, $515,000
Chris Lytle is the man that practically invented the fight night bonus. A scrappy welterweight, Lytle has been in a ‘Fight of the Night’ six times, received a ‘Knockout of the Night’ and has three ‘Submission of the Night’ bonuses.
Fittingly, Lytle retired in 2011 with a win against Dan Hardy in which he won two bonuses, ‘Fight of the Night’ and ‘Submission of the Night’.
4) Donald Cerrone: 11 bonuses, $600,000
Donald Cerrone is another of the UFC’s most exciting lightweight and the most active competitor on the UFC roster. Since coming to the UFC in 2011 after the WEC was merged in, Cerrone has fought more than anyone else, twenty times.
Cerrone has three ‘Fight of the Night’ bonuses, three ‘Knockout of the Night’ bonuses, two ‘Submission of the Night’ bonuses, and three ‘Performance of the Night’ bonuses.
3) Anderson Silva: 12 bonuses, $400,000 (estimated)
Anderson Silva is arguably the greatest fighter to ever step in the Octagon. His middleweight title reign was unprecedented and his ability to finish a fight has not been matched in the division.
Silva has been involved in three ‘Fight of the Night’ bouts, has two ‘Submission of the Night’ bonuses and holds the record for ‘Knockout of the Night’ with seven. A record that will stay forever as the bonus is not given out anymore.
2) Nate Diaz: 12 bonuses, $585,000
Nate Diaz is a ten year veteran of the UFC and has always been one of the lightweight division’s most exciting fighters. Diaz brings a f*ck you attitude in the cage and never fights for the decision.
Diaz has six ‘Fight of the Night’ honors to his credit, one ‘Knockout of the Night’, and five ‘Submission of the Night’ bonuses.
1) Joe Lauzon: 13 bonuses, $635,000
Lightweight Joe Lauzon is the man synonymous with post fight bonus awards. A ten year veteran of the UFC, Lauzon earned a bonus in his UFC debut and hasn’t stopped collecting them. Lauzon brings a ‘live by the sword, die by the sword’ attitude into the Octagon.
Fighting professionally since 2004, Lauzon has only fought to the distance five times in his thirty-six fight career. In his twenty-five careers win, Lauzon has only won by decision once.
Lauzon has the distinction of having the most ‘Submission of the Night’ bonuses ever, a record six. Lauzon will keep that distinction forever, as the award was changed in 2014.
On top of six ‘Submission of the Night’ bonuses, Lauzon also has a ‘Knockout of the Night’ and six times has been a apart of the ‘Fight of the Night.’
