Extra UFC 309 bonus given out – but not for Jim Miller’s slick submission
The UFC handed out five bonuses after Saturday’s card instead of the customary four – but passed on giving one, at least officially, to one of its all-time record-holders, Jim Miller, for a highlight-reel finish.
After UFC 309, five fighters picked up an extra $50,000 for their performances in New York. Check out the winners below.
Performance of the Night: Oban Elliott
Oban Elliott def. Bassil Hafez via knockout (punches) – Round 3, 0:40
Oban Elliott (12-2 MMA, 3-0 UFC) continued to roll in his rookie year in the UFC. He took out Bassil Hafez (9-5-1 MMA, 1-2 UFC) with a third-round knockout, which brought him to 3-0 in 2024 with three finishes. Only Carlos Prates has had a bigger calendar year for UFC newcomers. After six straight decision wins, Elliott got his first stoppage since May 2022 under the Cage Warriors banner.
Performance of the Night: Ramiz Brahimaj
Ramiz Brahimaj def. Mickey Gall via knockout (punches) – Round 1, 2:55
Ramiz Brahimaj (11-5 MMA, 3-3 UFC) played big-time spoiler when he ruined the sort-of homecoming for New Jersey native Mickey Gall (7-7 MMA, 6-7 UFC) with a brutal first-round knockout. It was Gall’s fourth straight setback and likely the end of his run in the UFC. After 10 straight submission stoppages to open his career, Brahimaj got his first knockout.
Performance of the Night: Jon Jones
Jon Jones def. Stipe Miocic via TKO (punches) – Round 3, 4:29
He was out of action for nearly two years, but Jon Jones (28-1 MMA, 22-1 UFC) returned and outright destroyed former champion Stipe Miocic (20-5 MMA, 14-5 UFC) with a third-round TKO for his first heavyweight title defense. Miocic had been on the shelf for nearly four years.
Fight of the Night: Charles Oliveira def. Michael Chandler
Charles Oliveira def. Michael Chandler via unanimous decision (49-46, 49-46, 49-45)
Michael Chandler (23-9 MMA, 2-4 UFC) didn’t get his mega-payday from a fight with Conor McGregor, who left him at the proverbial alter for the better part of nearly two years after agreeing to fight him. Instead, Chandler returned Saturday and spent 20 minutes getting dominated by Charles Oliveira (35-10 MMA, 23-10 UFC) before a brief rally in the fifth round made things momentarily interesting and turned it into a Fight of the Night instead of merely a destructive performance from Oliveira.
SNUBBED: Jim Miller
Jim Miller def. Damon Jackson via submission (guillotine choke) – Round 1, 2:44
Jim Miller (38-18 MMA, 27-17 UFC), the UFC’s record-holder for most career fights, won for the third time in four fights when he jumped a guillotine choke against Damon Jackson (23-8-1 MMA, 6-6-1 UFC) and forced a tap in the first round. Miller’s three wins in his current stretch all are stoppages – and the first two went for bonuses until he was passed over at UFC 309, which happened to be basically the biggest New York-related fan pop of the night for the New Jersey native. .