Championships are for winners, and bonuses are for finishers. While no titles were on the line this last Saturday, there were finishers in abundance, as reflected by the bonuses distributed in the UFC Vegas 64 payouts. Of the 11 fights on the card, only two went the distance on a highlight-heavy evening. Four of those early finishers stood out above the rest and were deemed worthy of Performance of the Night bonuses.
Performance of the Night: Neil Magny, Mario Bautista, Polyana Viana, and Tamires Vidal
Tamires Vidal set the tone for the night in the first bout on the card. Making her UFC debut, Vidal delivered a first-round flying knee that stunned more than just her opponent Ramona Pascual. Just three fights later, Polyana delivered an exclamation point of her own, using a knee of her own to hurt Jinh Yu Frey before knocking her out cold in just 47 seconds. Despite the powerful performances that followed, her finish would remain the fastest of the night.
While the women packed a punch from top to bottom on Saturday, a number of men’s contests featured some skillful submissions. On the preliminary card, up-and-comer Mario Bautista secured a slick armbar against the returning veteran Benito Lopez. Looking like it might go to the second round, Bautista was able to apply enough pressure to force the tap with just five seconds left in the first frame. In the co-main event of the night, Neil Magny and Daniel Rodriguez were locked in a close contest entering the third round. With the scorecards tied at 19-19 across the judges’ table, someone was going to have to separate. Magny would take the task, ultimately submitting Rodriguez with a D’arce choke.
For their stunning finishes, Magny, Bautista, Viana, and Vidal each earned a $50,000 bonus to their UFC Vegas 64 payouts for delivering a Performance of the Night.
Fight of the Night: None
For the second consecutive week, the UFC did not distribute a Fight of the Night bonus with the UFC Vegas 64 payouts. Given the closeness of the bout between Magny and Rodriguez, it would be understandable if the organization had decided to award both fighters. Still, it is hard for one to argue against rewarding solely the winners.
UFC Vegas 64 Payouts – Venum Sponsorship Bonuses (based on number of fights in the UFC)
*Per the UFC Promotional Guidelines
- $4,000 (1-3 fights): Tamires Vidal (debut), Ramona Pascual (3), Carlos Candelario (2), Jake Hadley (2), Ludvik Sholinian (2), Benito Lopez (3)
- $4,500 (4-5 fights): Johnny Munoz (4), Shanna Young (4), Shayilan Nuerdanbieke (4), Mark Madsen (5), Tagir Ulanbekov (4), Nate Maness (5)
- $6,000 (6-10 fights): Polyana Viana (8), Jinh Yu Frey (6), Mario Bautista (7), Miranda Maverick (6), Darrick Minner (6), Grant Dawson (8), Daniel Rodriguez (9), Marina Rodriguez (10), Amanda Lemos (9)
- $11,000 (11-15 fights): N/A
- $16,000 (16-20 fights): N/A
- $21,000 (21+ fights): Neil Magny (28)
UFC Vegas 64 Fight Results
Main Card
- Amanda Lemos TKO’d Marina Rodriguez (strikes) at 0:54 in Round 3.
- Neil Magny submitted Daniel Rodriguez by D’Arce choke at 3:33 in Round 3.
- Shayilan Nuerdanbieke TKO’d Darrick Minner at 1:07 in Round 1.
- Tagir Ulanbekov submitted Nate Maness by guillotine at 2:11 in Round 1.
- Grant Dawson submitted Mark Madsen by rear naked choke at 2:05 of Round 3.
Preliminary Card
- Miranda Maverick defeated Shanna Young by unanimous decision.
- Mario Bautista submitted Benito Lopez by armbar at 4:55 in Round 1.
- Polyana Viana took just 47 seconds to KO Jinh Yu Frey in Round 1.
- Johnny Munoz Jr. defeated Ludvik Sholinian by unanimous decision.
- Jake Hadley submitted Carlos Candelario by triangle choke at 2:39 in Round 2.
- Tamires Vidal TKO’d Ramona Pascual in 3:06 Round 1.
