The 2025 season in the UFC began with UFC Vegas 101 on Saturday night. Brazilian strawweight fighter Mackenzie Dern showcased her strong form by defeating her rival Amanda Ribas at the event. As a result of her impressive performance, Dern caught the attention of UFC executives and earned another fight bonus.
Both Mackenzie Dern and Amanda Ribas arrived well-prepared, both mentally and physically, to headline the UFC Vegas 101 fight card. However, Dern had a more strategically developed game plan to neutralize her fellow compatriot. In the early stages of the fight, Ribas appeared more aggressive, achieving more takedowns than her opponent.
As the first two rounds progressed, Dern became more comfortable and landed impressive striking combinations that hurt Ribas. Eventually, the #6 ranked strawweight fighter recognized an opportunity to display her Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu skills. After several minutes of grappling, Dern secured Ribas’ arm and executed another precise armbar that the #8 ranked Strawweight could not escape.
REDEMPTION FOR @MACKENZIEDERN‼️#UFCVegas101 pic.twitter.com/Xz1ltijf9w
— UFC (@ufc) January 12, 2025
The first event of the year featured nine finishes and loads of exciting fights. These four fighters walked away with some extra cash for their efforts at #UFCVegas101 ➡️: https://t.co/IIVW9hfcDt
— UFC News (@UFCNews) January 12, 2025
With that victory, Dern avenged her previous defeat against Ribas in 2019, which marked the first loss of her UFC career. Additionally, the #6 ranked strawweight fighter earned another ‘Performance of the Night‘ bonus, bringing her total to four POTN bonuses in her UFC career. Furthermore, there were several other fighters who also received bonuses at UFC Vegas 101.
Roman Kopylov and Cesar Almeida join Mackenzie Dern for the UFC Vegas 101 bonuses
Despite buzzing concerns regarding disappointing performances in UFC fights in 2025, the UFC Vegas 101 fight card proved to be quite the opposite. The event showcased a captivating mix of promising prospects and seasoned veterans. As a result, it was filled with numerous thrilling moments that created a buzz within the UFC community.
Cesar Almeida and Roman Kopylov puts out bonus-worthy performances at UFC Vegas 101 (Image via UFC)Regarding the bonus awards, the UFC typically presents three to four fight bonuses at each event. At a recent event, alongside Mackenzie Dern, Russian middleweight fighter Roman Kopylov and Brazilian fighter Cesar Almeida also received fight bonus awards.
Kopylov earned the ‘Fight of the Night‘ award after defeating Chris Curtis in the final seconds of their match. Meanwhile, Almeida, like Dern, was awarded ‘Performance of the Night‘ for his brutal knockout of Abdul Razak Alhassan.
What a way to start 2025 👏👏@MackenzieDern & Cesar Almeida are taking home the #UFCVegas101 POTN bonuses! pic.twitter.com/abXIiaX9YZ
— UFC (@ufc) January 12, 2025
This one was CRAZY 😱
Chris Curtis and Roman Kopylov take home the first FOTN of 2025! #UFCVegas101
[ B2YB: @ToyoTires ] pic.twitter.com/kUl9soTqpi
— UFC (@ufc) January 12, 2025
In addition to these three notable winners, there are other contenders for the bonus as well. Interestingly, the first UFC fight card (UFC Vegas 101) featured a total of nine matches that ended in a knockout or submission.
Notably, four of these fights concluded with a first-round knockout. Among the highlights of the night, Punahelo Soriano’s impressive 31-second knockout victory over Uros Medic was one. Along with that, Jacobe Smith’s notable 73-second knockout win over Preston Parsons. It remains to be seen if the fighters can continue the finishing momentum all throughout the year.
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