The respective debuts of Kai Kamaka and Tony Kelley earned them an extra $50,000 on top of their fight purse as the fighters were awarded “Fight of the Night” for their bout on Saturday night.
The bout between Kamaka and Kelley kicked off the prelims, showcasing an aggressive and fast-paced striking performance from both fighters. The intense striking matchup resulted in Kamaka earning a unanimous decision win, picking up his second victory within a month’s time.
“Performance of the Night” awards also went to Virna Jandiroba and Daniel Pineda, giving both fighters $50,000 as well.
Pineda’s performance was a strong one over prospect Herbert Burns, finishing the featherweight with strikes on the ground in a crucifix position in the second round. The win was Pineda’s return to the UFC following 12 fights in other promotions.
Jandiroba’s bonus comes following a win that saw the Brazilian finish Felice Herrig in the second minute via armbar. The win, which was the second of Jandiroba’s UFC run, came on the television prelims of the show.
Live coverage of UFC 252 in its entirety can be viewed here.