A former UFC champion expressed disappointment over a notable exclusion from the UFC 322 bonus awards. The recent pay-per-view event at Madison Square Garden ended with Islam Makhachev becoming the UFC’s latest two-division titleholder. In the main event, Makhachev thoroughly outclassed Jacques Della Maddalena, controlling the fight for over 18 minutes and earning three unanimous 50-45 scorecards. Despite his clear dominance and multi-weight class success, some fans, including Ilya Topria, found Makhachev’s reaction to winning underwhelming, calling it “boring.” However, UFC icon TJ Dillashaw disagreed, advocating that Makhachev’s performance truly merited a performance bonus.
UFC 322, which ranked as the ninth-largest gate in UFC history, surprisingly did not award any “Fight of the Night” bonuses. Instead, four fighters were rewarded for standout performances: Beau Nickal for a head kick knockout on the prelims, and Benoît Saint-Denis, Carlos Prates, and Michael Morales for knockouts on the main card. Dillashaw voiced his surprise during a podcast episode, highlighting how Makhachev’s dominant victory deserved recognition with a bonus, lamenting, “Crazy Islam didn’t get it. He made the match look so easy! It was crazy for me.”
Adding a special touch to the event, Khabib Nurmagomedov, Makhachev’s mentor, took over the traditional role of presenting the belt after the fight, passing the welterweight title from UFC president Dana White to Makhachev as Bruce Buffer announced the new champion. Nurmagomedov publicly thanked Dana White on Instagram for the opportunity to present the belt, making Makhachev’s coronation even more memorable.
Fan Take: This moment highlights the growing respect and recognition for dominant fighters like Makhachev, stressing the importance of rewarding excellence in the sport. It also reflects the deep legacy and mentorship within MMA, as Khabib’s presence underscores the passing of the torch to a new generation of UFC stars.
