UFC Atlanta Bonuses: Malcolm Wellmaker Garners $50K for One-Punch KO

Malcolm Wellmaker appears to have all the makings of a future star.

The Augusta, Georgia, native took home a $50,000 “Performance of the Night” bonus thanks to a first-round knockout of Kris Moutinho in a preliminary bantamweight clash at UFC Atlanta on Saturday night. A right hook from Wellmaker caused his opponent to face plant into the canvas, bringing an abrupt end to the contest at the 2:37 mark of Round 1.

Elsewhere, Kamaru Usman and Joaquin Buckley earned “Fight of the Night” honors and $50,000 apiece for their five-round battle in the evening’s main event. While Usman took control early with his wrestling, Buckley made things interesting with a spirited effort down the stretch. Ultimately, it wasn’t enough, as “The Nigerian Nightmare” emerged with a unanimous decision triumph.

Finally, Peru’s Jose Ochoa captured the evening’s other “$50,000 “Performance of the Night” award for putting away crowd favorite Cody Durden in a preliminary flyweight tilt. Ochoa rocked his foe with an uppercut and then dropped Durden with a left hand. A couple follow-up punches on the canvas sealed the victory just 11 seconds into Round 2.