Following Saturday’s UFC Vegas 40 event at UFC Apex in Las Vegas, UFC officials announced the recipients of the $50,000 performance-based fighter bonuses.
Performance of the Night: Jim Miller
The eternal Jim Miller picked up his first knockout win since UFC 200 more than five years ago with his effort against Erick Gonzalez.
The first round was a little hectic for Miller, who was taken down and then rocked in the first round. However, Miller started finding a home for his left hand as the round came to a close. In the second frame, Miller pounced on a lazy kick from Gonzalez and connected flush with his left hand once again. The punch sent Gonzalez crumbling to the floor, and the stoppage came shortly after.
Performance of the Night: Nate Landwehr
Nate “The Train” Landwehr displayed a calculated and patient approach instead of his usual brawling style, and it led him to his first career submission win over Ludovit Klein.
After a patient first round, Landwehr started to open up a little bit more and found success as the aggressor. With a growing confidence, Landwehr started throwing heavier in the third, and in the final frame, he wrestled Klein to the ground and sunk in a slick anaconda choke halfway through the third round.
UFC Vegas 40 Results: Norma Dumont defeats Aspen Ladd in one-sided decision
Performance of the Night: Bruno Silva
In a come-from-behind effort, Brazilian middleweight Bruno Silva showed that his power carries deep into fights with his third-round knockout win over Andrew Sanchez. Despite Sanchez’s heavy wrestling attack, Silva started to turn things around steadily. In the final round, Silva found his window of opportunity and dug hard to Sanchez’s body. He then unleashed a flurry upstairs and earned the stoppage midway through the third round.
Performance of the Night: Danaa Batgerel
For the third-consecutive fight, Danaa Batgerel earned a first-round finish with a sharp TKO of Brandon Davis. Batgerel landed his right hand often to open the fight, and in just the second minute, that right hand put Davis onto the canvas. He poured it on after that and earned the finish moments later.
UFC Vegas 40 Bonuses: Jim Miller banks a bonus for knockout win