At UFC Vegas 78, “Performance of the Night” bonuses worth $50,000 each were awarded to Da’mon Blackshear, Marcus McGhee, Iasmin Lucindo, and Khalil Rountree Jr, with no “Fight of the Night” honours announced.
UFC Vegas 78 highlighted a distinct strategic shift with the top two fights taking the form of strategic battles than outright fights. Whereas the events held in Las Vegas usually feature brawls, the bonus winners this time around made sure to end their matches conclusively. The UFC gave out four “Performance of the Night” bonuses, each worth $50,000 at the UFC APEX. The winners included Da’mon Blackshear, Marcus McGhee, Iasmin Lucindo and Khalil Rountree Jr. However, there were no “Fight of the Night” honors announced.
These matches took place on Saturday at UFC APEX in Las Vegas with broadcasts aired live on ESPN+. Each of these standout performers exhibited great skill to secure their bonuses. Blackshear earned his accolade by becoming only the third fighter in the history of the octagon to finish his opponent with a Twister submission, causing Jose Johnson to submit in the first round of their prelim.
Meanwhile, Marcus McGhee was commendable, stunning JP Buys with a punch in the first round of their prelim headliner. In the main card bout, Iasmin Lucindo executed a swift arm-triangle choke on Polyana Viana in the second round, leading to an immediate submission. Khalil Rountree Jr. landed a perfect straight left hand on Chris Daukaus, setting up an impressive TKO win within the first three minutes of the featured main card bout. UFC Vegas 78’s highlight was a welterweight showdown between former lightweight champion Rafael dos Anjos and Vicente Luque. After a grueling, grappling-heavy 25 minutes, Luque came out victorious with a unanimous decision.