UFC Paris bonuses: Salahdine Parnasse scores big in debut
· Yahoo Sports
The UFC handed out four bonuses after Saturday's card in France, including one to the home headliner.
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After UFC Fight Night 287, four fighters picked up an extra $100,000 for their performances at Accor Arena in Paris. Additionally, four fighters got $25,000 extra checks for finishes that weren’t bonus-winners.
Check out the list of winners below.
Performance of the Night: Salahdine Parnasse ($100,000)
Salahdine Parnasse (24-2 MMA, 1-0 UFC) was a huge favorite against Dan Hooker (24-15 MMA, 14-11 UFC), though he did have the pressure of a UFC debut in a main event in front of his home fans. He didn’t even come close to failing the moment. A liver kick hurt Hooker, and an on-the-money left a few seconds later was all he needed to send a major message to the UFC’s lightweight division.
Performance of the Night: Axel Sola ($100,000)
Axel Sola (13-1-1 MMA, 3-1 UFC) absolutely starched fellow Frenchman Fares Ziam (18-6 MMA, 8-4 UFC) in the first round of the co-main event. A left hand was on the money, and Ziam was out before he hit the canvas.
Performance of the Night: Losene Keita ($100,000)
Losene Keita (17-2 MMA, 1-1 UFC) shut out the lights for Muhammad Naimov (13-5 MMA, 5-3 UFC) with a wicked punch less than three minutes into the first round.
Performance of the Night: Mario Pinto ($100,000)
Mario Pinto (13-0 MMA, 4-0 UFC) had to endure a quick shot from Ryan Spann (24-12 MMA, 10-7 UFC) that looked like it may have put his lights out momentarily. But he bounced back and quickly took over before he put Spann away with relative ease in the second round.
Finish bonus: Kurtis Campbell ($25,000)
Kurtis Campbell (9-1 MMA, 1-1 UFC) landed a featherweight record number of takedowns against Trevor Peek (9-4 MMA, 2-4 UFC), and eventually got to him in the third round for a rear-naked choke.
Finish bonus: Modestas Bukauskas ($25,000)
Modestas Bukauskas (21-7 MMA, 9-5 UFC) wasn’t exactly having his way against Oumar Sy (12-3 MMA, 3-3 UFC), but said he thought the tide was turning late in the second. He put together a comeback with a big knee and a TKO that stunned the French fans with about a minute left in the round.
Finish bonus: Matthieu Duclos ($25,000)
Matthieu Duclos (11-3 MMA, 1-0 UFC) was backing up while Luis Felipe (17-6 MMA, 1-1 UFC) put together some offense and he threw a sneaky left hand. It landed, Felipe hit the canvas, and Duclos had a UFC debut win in front of his home fans just like that.
Finish bonus: Delphine Benouaich ($25,000)
Delphine Benouaich (8-2 MMA, 1-0 UFC) opened the card with an absolutely stellar performance against Sofia Montenegro (6-3 MMA, 0-1 UFC), who also was making her UFC debut. After a first round that saw her land the second most significant strikes in five minutes in UFC flyweight history, she drilled Montenegro down the middle and took her off her feet. She pounced and sliced her open with brutal elbows and ground and pound and left her gushing blood all over the canvas. Then she sank in the rear-naked choke and put her to sleep for one of the best debuts in the UFC in a long time.
This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: UFC Paris bonuses: Salahdine Parnasse scores big in debut