UFC Bonuses Explained: Fight of the Night, Performance Awards and the $100K Payout
UFC bonuses are the extra checks fighters earn for memorable nights, and they got much bigger in 2026. Starting with UFC 324 in January, the main awards doubled from $50,000 to $100,000. Here is how they work. For full event coverage, keep OnlineUFC open during fight week.
The two main UFC bonuses
Fight of the Night goes to both fighters in the best bout, win or lose. Performance of the Night rewards standout individual efforts, usually two per card. Before 2014 the individual awards were Knockout of the Night and Submission of the Night. UFC merged them into Performance of the Night that year. The amount was standardized at $50,000 in 2013.
How much are UFC bonuses in 2026?
Fight of the Night and Performance of the Night are now worth $100,000 each. UFC also added a $25,000 finish bonus for knockouts and submissions that do not win a main award (CBS Sports). A fighter can win more than one award on the same night, which has happened before.
Who picks the winners?
UFC leadership selects the awards and announces them after the event, usually around the post-fight press conference. There is no public scoring rubric, so it is partly subjective, much like the old media rankings. Our guide to how UFC rankings work covers that other judgment call.
Bonuses versus base pay
UFC bonuses come on top of a fighter’s show and win money. Those base purses are often not disclosed, which is why bonuses are the clearest public number. The fight itself decides the check, not the result. A losing fighter can walk away with $100,000 after a great fight.
A recent example
At UFC 333, the co-main event between Petr Yan and Merab Dvalishvili took Fight of the Night, as we covered in our UFC 333 results recap. Volkanovski’s finish is a good case study, and you can read more in his biography.
Why bonuses matter to fans
Bigger bonuses reward fighters who push the pace and chase finishes. That makes cards more entertaining and gives lower-ranked fighters a way to earn real money. For fans who follow fight-night markets, StakeUFC offers betting-focused previews. Bonuses are not a betting market, so never rely on them for a pick. Bet only if you are 18+, and gamble responsibly.
Final word
UFC bonuses are now larger and easier to understand, but they remain at UFC’s discretion. Check our Fight Results section after every card to see who took home the checks.