UFC Minneapolis bonuses: Francis Ngannou, Joseph Benavidez, Alonzo Menifield and Eryk Anders score big
Another day, another $50,000 for Francis Ngannou
For his skull rattling first-round knockout of Junior dos Santos in the main event of UFC Minneapolis on Saturday, “The Predator” pocketed his fourth career Performance of the Night bonus.
As expected, Ngannou came out with violent intentions as he stalked his Brazilian foe across the canvas. While dos Santos found some success early, Ngannou separated him from his senses with a violent hook to the temple, scoring his third-straight knockout win and cementing himself as the rightful No. 1 contender for the UFC heavyweight championship.
The other Performance of the Night bonuses went to Joseph Benavidez, Alonzo Menifield and Eryk Anders, all of whom scored violent knockouts of their own.
For Benavidez, his second-round knockout over Jussier Formiga earned him his fourth post-fight bonus. During the scrap, Formiga and Benavidez put on a clinic in grappling as they tangled on the canvas for the majority of the first round. But after finding an opening, Benavidez slapped his shin across Formiga’s head, sending him crumpling to the canvas.
Similarly, Anders earned his third post-fight bonus following a devastating first-round KO of Vinicius Moreira.
Menifield rounded out the bonus winners for his quick and brutal stoppage win over Paul Craig.