UFC on Fox: Evans vs. Davis Fight Bonus Winners

Evan Dunham vs. Nik Lentz (James Law/HeavyMMA)

Lavar Johnson, Oliveira, Dunham, Lentz win $65,000 awards

CHICAGO – The UFC handed out $65,000 bonus checks to four fighters for their performances Saturday at UFC on Fox: Evans vs. Davis.

Lavar Johnson, Charles Oliveira, Evan Dunham and Nik Lentz each got fight night bonuses from UFC president Dana White, who announced the winners after the card, which took place at the United Center in Chicago.

Johnson’s UFC debut, after coming over to the promotion from Strikeforce, was an impressive one. In the night’s second fight, Johnson dominated Joey Beltran in the standup game, eventually pinning him against the cage and putting his lights out with several big right uppercut to win the Knockout of the Night bonus.

“He’s a tough fighter,” Johnson said. “I was able to capitalize on it when I hurt him and went after him. I got him. It was four nice, good uppercuts. Usually I put people out with just one. But he took them – my hat’s off to him.”

Submission specialist Oliveira had little problem with UFC rookie Eric Wisely, getting him to tap with a rare calf slicer just 1:43 into the first round to win the Submission of the Night.

“I have practiced my submissions endlessly and it was easy to look for that opportunity to finish the fight,” Oliveira said.

And with their two-round slugfest that wound up being stopped after two rounds thanks to a cut under Lentz’s eye, Dunham and Lentz won Fight of the Night honors.

“I started slow and not very sharp, but by the end of the first I felt much better,” Dunham said. “I knew I had his number and I was going to take this fight. I completely dominated the second round and I was ready to finish him in the third. When I heard the decision that the doctors stopped it, I was a little bummed out. As a fighter, you want to prove to yourself that you can finish the fight. I’ll take the W, but I would have preferred to finish it on my terms.”