UFC Nashville bonuses and aftermath: Derrick Lewis scores 35-second knockout, $2.2 million gate, Merab Dvalishvili wins ESPY, and more

UFC Nashville showcased a mix of experienced veterans competing against rising prospects. While many fighters enjoyed positive outcomes, others faced disappointment, losing by narrow margins. The event featured 12 bouts across seven weight divisions, and four fighters each received a $50,000 bonus.

The main event was a heavyweight clash between veteran Derrick Lewis and up-and-coming prospect Tallison Teixeira, which ended in just 35 seconds. Lewis, who holds the record for the most knockout wins in UFC history, showcased his skills once again by finishing Teixeira.

The Bridgestone Arena in Nashville welcomed over 17,000 attendees for the UFC Fight Night, exceeding the attendance figures of both UFC Baku and UFC Des Moines. Additionally, the event generated a gate of $2,189,826, making it the highest reported gate for a UFC event held in Nashville.

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During the ongoing UFC Nashville fight card, it was announced that Merab Dvalishvili received a prestigious accolade. He has been named the ESPY 2025 Fighter of the Year. This award recognizes the best-performing fighter from July 1 of the previous year to June 20 of the current year.

In that timeframe, Dvalishvili became the UFC bantamweight champion by defeating Sean O'Malley in September 2024. Since then, he has successfully defended his title twice: first against Umar Nurmagomedov in January 2025 and then in a rematch with O'Malley in June 2025.

At UFC Nashville, the bonus recipients were Nate Landwehr, Morgan Charriere, Fatima Kline, and Valter Walker, each taking home a $50,000 bonus. Kline and Walker earned the "Performance of the Night" bonus, while Landwehr and Charriere received the "Fight of the Night" bonus.

On the preliminary card of UFC Nashville, Kline achieved a TKO victory over Melissa Martinez. A few bouts later, Walker secured an opening-round submission win (inverted heel lock) against Kennedy Nzechukwu, finishing the fight in just 54 seconds.

Moving to the main card, the featherweight fight between Morgan Charriere and Nate Landwehr was a thrilling contest that fans clearly enjoyed as they went toe-to-toe. Ultimately, in the early seconds of the third and final round, Charriere emerged victorious by TKO.

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Edited by Nilaav Gogoi