The UFC rewarded some unforgettable performances following Saturday’s UFC Fight Night 280 in Baku, Azerbaijan. Handing out four $100,000 Performance of the Night bonuses and five additional $25,000 finish bonuses after an action-packed card at National Gymnastics Arena. The event featured spectacular knockouts, one of the fastest finishes in UFC history, and one of the rarest submissions ever seen inside the Octagon.
Azerbaijan’s own Rafael Fiziev earned one of the night’s four $100,000 Performance of the Night bonuses. After a sensational second-round knockout of Manuel Torres in the main event.
Torres survived the opening round despite appearing hurt late, but Fiziev wasted little time finishing the job. Just 15 seconds into Round 2, he landed the fight-ending sequence that sent the hometown crowd into celebration. The victory marked a triumphant return for Fiziev in front of his home fans.
Asu Almabayev Pulls Off Rare Suloev Stretch
Asu Almabayev appeared headed toward a decision victory over Charles Johnson before producing one of the rarest submissions in UFC history. Late in the fight, Almabayev secured a Suloev Stretch submission. Becoming just the fourth fighter in UFC history to win by the uncommon technique. The unique finish earned him a $100,000 bonus and immediately became one of the night’s most talked-about moments.
Highly touted prospect Abdul Rakhman Yakhyaev lived up to the hype in spectacular fashion. The undefeated contender flattened Julius Walker with a crushing right hand just four seconds into their bout before referee intervention officially stopped the contest at the eight-second mark. The knockout ranks among the fastest finishes in UFC history and earned Yakhyaev a $100,000 bonus.
Undefeated prospect Daniil Donchenko also collected a $100,000 Performance of the Night award. Donchenko stunned Theodor Berggren with a devastating head kick early in the second round before quickly finishing the fight with ground-and-pound just 95 seconds into the frame. The victory improved Donchenko to 3-0 inside the UFC.
Five Fighters Receive Finish Bonuses
In addition to the four major bonus winners, the UFC rewarded five more fighters with $25,000 finish bonuses.
Matheus Camilo
Matheus Camilo shocked the hometown crowd by stopping Azerbaijani favorite Nazim Sadykhov just 91 seconds into the opening round despite protests over the referee’s stoppage.
Abus Magomedov
Abus Magomedov finished Michal Oleksiejczuk with a guillotine choke after rocking him with a perfectly placed elbow.
Nursulton Ruziboev
Nursulton Ruziboev showcased his grappling skills by submitting Andrey Pulyaev with a rear-naked choke after quickly taking his opponent’s back.
Kaan Ofli
Kaan Ofli earned a bonus after transitioning beautifully into an arm-triangle choke submission against Javier Reyes following an early knockdown.
Tahir Abdullayev
Making his UFC debut, Tahir Abdullayev closed out his victory over Jefferson Nascimento with a late ground-and-pound stoppage to secure the night’s final finish bonus.
A Memorable Night in Baku
UFC Fight Night 280 delivered highlight-reel finishes from top to bottom, with rare submissions, lightning-fast knockouts and dominant performances throughout the card.
From Fiziev’s hometown heroics to Almabayev’s history-making Suloev Stretch, Saturday’s event provided plenty of memorable moments—and plenty of extra cash—for the night’s standout performers.
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