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Knockouts of The Night

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The Ultimate Fighting Championship began its custom of awarding fighter bonuses for Fight of the Night, Knockout of the Night and Submission of the Night honors in October 2006, at the Tito Ortiz versus Ken Shamrock 3 live special on free cable. That night, Tito Ortiz picked up a cool $30,000 for once again blasting out Ken Shamrock in one round to take the Knockout of the Night award. Since that time, the UFC has regularly awarded its Knockout of the Night honors, alongside Fight of the Night and Submission of the Night awards, at the post-fight press conferences following each event. UFC frontman Dana White traditionally bestows the awards - one in each category, though exceptions are not unusual - based on his opinion of the fights, and without any formal judging criteria. The monetary awards provide an incentive for fighters to look for the finish, and honor the night's best performances. The UFC has given out well over $1,000,000 in post-fight awards to date, and the amounts of the awards have, with occasional exceptions, generally increased over time.

Out of a total of 64 UFC Knockout of the Night awards given out from October 2006 through August 2010, inclusive, 19 were given to preliminary card fights (30%), 31 were given to televised main card fights excluding main events (48%), and 14 were given to main events (22%). UFC 76 and UFC 118 each featured no knockouts, so no award was given. No award was given at UFC 73 or The Ultimate Fighter 9 Finale, either, even though each featured a single KO/TKO finish. The UFC on Versus 1 fight card featured an unprecedented three Knockouts of the Night, netting fight winners John Howard, Junior dos Santos and Jonny "Bones" Jones $50,000 each for their first round finishes.

Those 64 Knockout of the Night awards have been bestowed across the five UFC weight classes, plus catchweight bouts, as follows: lightweight, 7 (11%); welterweight, 11 (17%); middleweight, 13 (20%); light heavyweight, 18 (28%); heavyweight, 12 (19%); catchweight, 3 (4%). While the heavier weight classes dominate the Knockout of the Night awards (understandably, as they deliver a higher percentage of knockouts), the lighter weight classes tend to deliver the most Fight of the Night awards.

The Knockout of the Night awards tend to be evenly distributed, with few fighters gaining the award even twice. All-time great Anderson Silva, for example, has taken home only two KO of the Night bonuses (against Rich Franklin in their UFC 77 rematch, and against Forest Griffin at UFC 101), the same number as up-and-comer Denis Siver. The great Chuck Liddell, despite finishing a remarkable ten fights by knockout in the Octagon, never won Knockout of the Night. But he has the ignominious distintinction of being victimized the most times for Knockout of the Night awards, with four; his KOs at the hands of Quinton Jackson, Rashad Evans, Mauricio Rua and Rich Franklin lined their pockets to the tune of $40,000, $60,000, $70,000 and $85,000, respectively.

Knockouts of The Night (134)

Bout		Event		Award		Forum
Tom Lawlor vs. Jason MacDonald		UFC on FUEL TV 3: Korean Zombie vs. Poirier		$40,000		View
Ashley Beaumont vs. Steve Wright		Samurai Fight Night 5: There Will Be Blood		$0		View
Lavar Johnson vs. Pat Barry		UFC on FOX 3: Diaz vs. Miller		$65,000		View
Ben Rothwell vs. Brendan Schaub		UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans		$65,000		View
Siyar Bahadurzada vs. Paulo Thiago		UFC on FUEL TV 2: Silva vs. Gustafsson		$50,000		View
Devon Smith vs. Felix Jimenez		Hard Knocks 21		$0		View
Joseph Benavidez vs. Yasuhiro Urushitani		UFC on FX 2: Alves vs. Kampmann		$50,000		View
Anthony Pettis vs. Joe Lauzon		UFC 144: Edgar vs. Henderson		$65,000		View
Stipe Miocic vs. Phil De Fries		UFC on FUEL TV 1: Ellenberger vs. Sanchez		$50,000		View
Stephen Thompson vs. Dan Stittgen		UFC 143: Diaz vs. Condit		$65,000		View
Lavar Johnson vs. Joey Beltran		UFC on FOX 2: Evans vs. Davis		$65,000		View
Nick Denis vs. Joseph Sandoval		UFC on FX 1: Guillard vs. Miller		$45,000		View
Edson Barboza vs. Terry Etim		UFC 142: Aldo vs. Mendes		$65,000		View
Johny Hendricks vs. Jon Fitch		UFC 141: Lesnar vs. Overeem		$75,000		View
Chan Sung Jung vs. Mark Hominick		UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida		$75,000		View
John Dodson vs. T.J. Dillashaw		The Ultimate Fighter 14 Finale		$40,000		View
Michael McDonald vs. Alex Soto		UFC 139: Shogun vs. Henderson		$70,000		View
Junior Dos Santos vs. Cain Velasquez		UFC on FOX 1: Velasquez vs. Dos Santos		$65,000		View
Che Mills vs. Chris Cope		UFC 138: Leben vs. Munoz		$70,000		View
Bart Palaszewski vs. Tyson Griffin		UFC 137: Penn vs. Diaz		$75,000		View
Frankie Edgar vs. Gray Maynard III		UFC 136: Edgar vs Maynard 3		$75,000		View
Anthony Johnson vs. Charlie Brenneman		UFC on Versus 6: Cruz vs. Johnson		$65,000		View
Josh Koscheck vs. Matt Hughes		UFC 135: Jones vs. Rampage		$75,000		View
Jake Ellenberger vs. Jake Shields		UFC Fight Night 25: Battle on the Bayou		$55,000		View
Radeem Rahman vs. Susovan Ghosh		One FC 1: Champion vs Champion		$5,000		View
Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira vs. Brendan Schaub		UFC 134: Silva vs. Okami		$100,000		View
Donald Cerrone vs. Charles Oliveira		UFC on Versus 5: Hardy vs. Lytle		$65,000		View
Vitor Belfort vs. Yoshihiro Akiyama		UFC 133: Evans vs. Ortiz 2		$70,000		View
Brian Ebersole vs. Dennis Hallman		UFC 133: Evans vs. Ortiz 2		$70,000		View
Carlos Condit vs. Dong Hyun Kim		UFC 132: Cruz vs Faber II		$75,000		View
Cheick Kongo vs. Pat Barry		UFC on Versus 4: Barry vs. Kongo		$50,000		View
Sam Stout vs. Yves Edwards		UFC 131: Carwin vs. Dos Santos		$70,000		View
Tony Ferguson vs. Ramsey Nijem		The Ultimate Fighter 13 Finale		$40,000		View
Travis Browne vs. Stefan Struve		UFC 130: Rampage vs Hamill		$70,000		View
Brice Ritani-Coe vs. Brandon Endriss		Superior Cage Combat 1: Lopez vs Buccholz		$1,000		View
Justin Buchholz vs. Steve Lopez		Superior Cage Combat 1: Lopez vs Buccholz		$1,000		View
Lyoto Machida vs. Randy Couture		UFC 129: St. Pierre vs. Shields		$129,000		View
Johny Hendricks vs. TJ Waldburger		UFC Fight Night 24: Nogueira vs. Davis		$55,000		View
Brendan Schaub vs. Mirko Filipovic		UFC 128: Shogun vs Jones		$70,000		View
Erik Koch vs. Raphael Assuncao		UFC 128: Shogun vs Jones		$70,000		View
Shane Roller vs. Thiago Tavares		UFC on Versus 3: Sanchez vs Kampmann		$40,000		View
Mark Hunt vs. Chris Tuchscherer		UFC 127: Penn vs Fitch		$75,000		View
Anderson Silva vs. Vitor Belfort		UFC 126: Silva vs. Belfort		$75,000		View
Melvin Guillard vs. Evan Dunham		UFC Fight Night 23: Fight for the Troops 2		$30,000		View
Jeremy Stephens vs. Marcus Davis		UFC 125: Resolution		$60,000		View
Eddie Wineland vs. Ken Stone		WEC 53: Henderson vs. Pettis		$10,000		View
Mac Danzig vs. Joe Stevenson		UFC 124: St. Pierre vs. Koscheck 2		$100,000		View
Pablo Garza vs. Fredson Paixao		The Ultimate Fighter 12 Finale		$30,000		View
BJ Penn vs. Matt Hughes III		UFC 123: Rampage vs. Machida		$80,000		View
Karlos Vemola vs. Seth Petruzelli		UFC 122: Marquardt vs. Okami		$60,000		View
Erik Koch vs. Francisco Rivera		WEC 52: Faber vs. Mizugaki		$10,000		View
Cain Velasquez vs. Brock Lesnar		UFC 121: Lesnar vs. Velasquez		$70,000		View
Carlos Condit vs. Dan Hardy		UFC 120: Bisping vs. Akiyama		$60,000		View
George Roop vs. Chan Sung Jung		WEC 51: Aldo vs. Gamburyan		$10,000		View
Brian Foster vs. Forrest Petz		UFC Fight Night 22: Marquardt vs. Palhares		$40,000		View
Maciej Jewtuszko vs. Anthony Njokuani		WEC 50: Cruz vs. Benavidez		$10,000		View
Stefan Struve vs. Christian Morecraft		UFC 117: Silva vs Sonnen		$60,000		View
Takanori Gomi vs. Tyson Griffin		UFC on Versus 2: Jones vs. Matyushenko		$40,000		View
Gerald Harris vs. Dave Branch		UFC 116: Lesnar vs Carwin		$75,000		View
Eddie Wineland vs. Will Campuzano		WEC 49: Varner vs Shalorus		$10,000		View
Chris Leben vs. Aaron Simpson		The Ultimate Fighter 11 Finale		$25,000		View
Rich Franklin vs. Chuck Liddell		UFC 115: Liddell vs Franklin		$85,000		View
Mike Russow vs. Todd Duffee		UFC 114: Jackson vs Evans		$65,000		View
Mauricio Rua vs. Lyoto Machida II		UFC 113: Machida vs Shogun 2		$65,000		View
Manvel Gamburyan vs. Mike Brown		WEC 48: Aldo vs Faber		$65,000		View
DaMarques Johnson vs. Brad Blackburn		UFC 112: Invincible		$75,000		View
Roy Nelson vs. Stefan Struve		UFC Fight Night 21: Florian vs Gomi		$30,000		View
Shane Carwin vs. Frank Mir		UFC 111: St-Pierre vs Hardy		$65,000		View
Jon Jones vs. Brandon Vera		UFC on Versus 1: Vera vs Jones		$50,000		View
John Howard vs. Daniel Roberts		UFC on Versus 1: Vera vs Jones		$50,000		View
Junior Dos Santos vs. Gabriel Gonzaga		UFC on Versus 1: Vera vs Jones		$50,000		View
Anthony Pettis vs. Danny Castillo		WEC 47: Bowles vs Cruz		$10,000		View
Cain Velasquez vs. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira		UFC 110: Nogueira vs. Velasquez		$50,000		View
Matt Serra vs. Frank Trigg		UFC 109: Relentless		$60,000		View
Gerald Harris vs. John Salter		UFC Fight Night 20: Maynard vs Diaz		$30,000		View
Paul Daley vs. Dustin Hazelett		UFC 108: Evans vs Silva		$50,000		View
Anthony Njokuani vs. Chris Horodecki		WEC 45: Cerrone vs Ratcliff		$10,000		View
TJ Grant vs. Kevin Burns		UFC 107: Penn vs. Sanchez		$65,000		View
Roy Nelson vs. Brendan Schaub		The Ultimate Fighter 10 Finale		$25,000		View
Antonio Rogerio Nogueira vs. Luiz Cane		UFC 106: Ortiz vs Griffin 2		$70,000		View
Jose Aldo vs. Mike Brown		WEC 44: Brown vs. Aldo		$10,000		View
Dennis Siver vs. Paul Kelly		UFC 105: Couture vs Vera		$40,000		View
Pat Barry vs. Antoni Hardonk		UFC 104: Machida vs Shogun		$60,000		View
Mackens Semerzier vs. Wagnney Fabiano		WEC 43: Cerrone vs. Henderson		$10,000		View
Vitor Belfort vs. Rich Franklin		UFC 103: Franklin vs. Belfort		$65,000		View
Jeremy Stephens vs. Justin Buchholz		UFC Fight Night 19: Diaz vs. Guillard		$30,000		View
Nate Marquardt vs. Demian Maia		UFC 102: Couture vs. Nogueira		$60,000		View
Brian Bowles vs. Miguel Torres		WEC 42: Torres vs. Bowles		$10,000		View
Anderson Silva vs. Forrest Griffin		UFC 101: Declaration		$60,000		View
Dan Henderson vs. Michael Bisping		UFC 100		$100,000		View
Mike Swick vs. Ben Saunders		UFC 99: The Comeback		$60,000		View
Jose Aldo vs. Cub Swanson		WEC 41: Brown vs. Faber 2		$10,000		View
Lyoto Machida vs. Rashad Evans		UFC 98: Evans vs. Machida		$60,000		View
Mauricio Rua vs. Chuck Liddell		UFC 97: Redemption		$70,000		View
Anthony Njokuani vs. Bart Palaszewski		WEC 40: Torres vs. Mizugaki		$10,000		View
Aaron Simpson vs. Tim McKenzie		UFC Fight Night 18: Condit vs. Kampmann		$30,000		View
Matt Hamill vs. Mark Munoz		UFC 96: Jackson vs. Jardine		$60,000		View
Damacio Page vs. Marcos Galvao		WEC 39: Brown vs. Garcia		$7,500		View
Paulo Thiago vs. Josh Koscheck		UFC 95: Sanchez vs. Stevenson		$40,000		View
Cain Velasquez vs. Denis Stojnic		UFC Fight Night 17: Lauzon vs. Stephens		$30,000		View
Lyoto Machida vs. Thiago Silva		UFC 94: St-Pierre vs. Penn 2		$65,000		View
Jose Aldo vs. Rolando Perez		WEC 38: Varner vs. Cerrone		$7,500		View
Dennis Siver vs. Nate Mohr		UFC 93: Franklin vs. Henderson		$40,000		View
Quinton Jackson vs. Wanderlei Silva III		UFC 92: The Ultimate 2008		$60,000		View
Anthony Johnson vs. Kevin Burns II		The Ultimate Fighter 8 Finale		$25,000		View
Josh Koscheck vs. Yoshiyuki Yoshida		UFC Fight Night 16: Fight for the Troops		$30,000		View
Bart Palaszewski vs. Alex Karalexis		WEC 37: Torres vs Tapia		$7,500		View
Jeremy Stephens vs. Rafael Dos Anjos		UFC 91: Couture vs Lesnar		$60,000		View
Mike Brown vs. Urijah Faber I		WEC 36: Faber vs Brown		$7,500		View
Junior Dos Santos vs. Fabricio Werdum		UFC 90: Silva vs Cote		$65,000		View
Luiz Cane vs. Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou		UFC 89: Bisping vs Leben		$40,000		View
Alessio Sakara vs. Joe Vedepo		UFC Fight Night 15: Diaz vs. Neer		$30,000		View
Rashad Evans vs. Chuck Liddell		UFC 88: Breakthrough		$60,000		View
Rob Emerson vs. Manvel Gamburyan		UFC 87: Seek and Destroy		$60,000		View
Brock Larson vs. Carlo Prater		WEC 35: Condit vs Miura		$7,500		View
Rory Markham vs. Brodie Farber		UFC Fight Night 14: Silva vs. Irvin		$25,000		View
Melvin Guillard vs. Dennis Siver		UFC 86: Jackson vs. Griffin		$60,000		View
Drew McFedries vs. Marvin Eastman		The Ultimate Fighter 7 Finale		$20,000		View
Thiago Alves vs. Matt Hughes		UFC 85: Bedlam		$50,000		View
Wanderlei Silva vs. Keith Jardine		UFC 84: Ill Will		$75,000		View
Jason MacDonald vs. Joe Doerksen		UFC 83: Serra vs. St. Pierre 2		$75,000		View
James Irvin vs. Houston Alexander		UFC Fight Night 13: Florian vs. Lauzon		$20,000		View
Chris Leben vs. Alessio Sakara		UFC 82: Pride of a Champion		$60,000		View
Chris Lytle vs. Kyle Bradley		UFC 81: Breaking Point		$60,000		View
Wilson Gouveia vs. Jason Lambert		UFC 80: Rapid Fire		$35,000		View
Eddie Sanchez vs. Soa Palelei		UFC 79: Nemesis		$50,000		View
Ed Herman vs. Joe Doerksen		UFC 78: Validation		$55,000		View
Anderson Silva vs. Rich Franklin II		UFC 77: Hostile Territory		$40,000		View
Houston Alexander vs. Alessio Sakara		UFC 75: Champion vs Champion		$40,000		View
Patrick Cote vs. Kendall Grove		UFC 74: Respect		$40,000		View
Marcus Davis vs. Jason Tan		UFC 72: Victory		$40,000		View
Quinton Jackson vs. Chuck Liddell II		UFC 71: Liddell vs Jackson		$40,000		View
Gabriel Gonzaga vs. Mirko Filipovic		UFC 70: Nations Collide		$30,000		View
Tito Ortiz vs. Ken Shamrock III		UFC The Final Chapter: Ortiz vs Shamrock 3		$30,000		View