Islam
Makhachev left a lasting stamp on the
UFC 294 proceedings.
The reigning lightweight champion received a $50,000 “Performance
of the Night” award for his first-round knockout of featherweight
title holder Alexander
Volkanovski in Saturday’s headliner at Etihad Arena in Abu
Dhabi on Saturday. Makhachev hurt his opponent with a head kick and
then finished the victory with follow-up punches at the 3:06 mark
of Round 1 for his 13th consecutive UFC triumph.
Elsewhere, Ikram
Aliskerov received a $50,000 “Performance of the Night”
paycheck for making short work of Warlley
Alves in a featured middleweight contest. Aliskerov rocked his
Brazilian foe with a flying knee before unloading with punches to
force the stoppage 2:07 into the opening round.
Earlier, Said
Nurmagomedov garnered a $50,000 “Performance of the Night”
bonus for a first-round submission of Muin Gafarov in a
bantamweight clash. The former World Fighting Championship Akhmat
title holder capitalized on his opponent’s ill-timed aggression,
locking in a guillotine choke to secure the tapout 73 seconds into
Round 1.
Finally, surging contender Muhammad
Mokaev took home the card’s final $50,000 “Performance of the
Night” payment by virtue of his submission of Tim Elliott
in a preliminary flyweight scrap. Mokaev elicited a tap from his
veteran foe with an arm-triangle choke at the 3:03 mark of Round 3.