Diego Lopes was a last-minute addition to the UFC 288 fight card. However, his impressive performance against Movsar Evloev earned them both the coveted “Fight of the Night” honors. While Evloev won the fight unanimously, Lopes made a lasting impression with his courage and grit.

The undefeated Russian lauded his opponent’s skills and predicted a bright future for him. Both fighters left the arena with an additional $50,000 in their accounts thanks to the post-fight bonuses announced by UFC President Dana White during the press conference.

Apart from Lopes and Evloev, two other fighters also received “Performance of the Night” bonuses worth $50,000. Yan Xiaonan delivered a stunning knockout against Jessica Andrade in the very first round and bolstered her chances of getting a title shot against the reigning champ Zhang Weili.

Meanwhile, underdog Matt Frevola pulled off an impressive stoppage win against Drew Dober and went on to call out Paddy Pimblett, expressing his eagerness to fight the U.K. star. The highly anticipated main event of UFC 288 saw Aljamain Sterling and Henry Cejudo battle it out for the bantamweight championship.

In a closely contested affair, Sterling emerged victorious via split decision, with scores of 47-48, 48-47, and 48-47. The new champion retained his belt and secured his position as one of the leading figures in the bantamweight division.

Overall, UFC 288 was a thrilling event that showcased some of the finest fighters in the sport. The fighters’ perseverance and skills were on full display, and the audience was treated to some of the most exciting fights of the year. In the end, it was the fighters who emerged victorious, both in terms of their winnings and their unrelenting spirit.