Formerly Unknown Bonuses Reveal That Joe Lauzon Still Needs One More To Beat Anderson Silva's Record

After UFC on Fox 4, Joe Lauzon received a whopping $100,000 in bonuses for his fight of the night and submission of the night performance over Jamie Varner. The two put on a classic back and forth fight which went all over the place, ending with a terrific finishing sequence as Lauzon caught a great triangle in a scramble. After the event, when his bonuses were announced, it appeared that he had broken the record for "Of the Night" bonuses.

However, thanks to some asking around from people at MMA Junkie, we now have new (or perhaps old) data that was previously unknown. Here's what we get from Fight Metric, who also breaks down the standings:

Some sleuthing by MMA Junkie revealed an extra two fight night bonuses for Joe Lauzon that were previously unknown, giving him 11 for his career, and what appeared to be the top spot among UFC fighters for most total fight night bonuses. These extra two bonuses came at UFC 63 and the TUF 5 Finale, during an era when bonuses were awarded, but the recipients weren't always made public. Thanks to the UFC, we have gotten access to the bonus data from this period and now have a complete record of official fight night bonuses awarded. And while Lauzon picked up an extra two bonuses, Anderson Silva notched three previously-unreported bonuses, giving him 12 and the top spot all-time.

So, with the data that was gathered from years past, when even the "Of the Night" bonuses were undisclosed, we now see a clearer picture of the all-time bonus standings. Here are the top fives for both total bonuses and bonus percentage, also via Fight Metric:

Total bonuses:

1. Anderson Silva - 12
2. Joe Lauzon - 11
3. Nate Diaz - 10
3. Chris Lytle - 10
5. Clay Guida - 8

Bonus percentage:

1. Joe Lauzon - 84.6% (11 in 13 fights)
2. Edson Barboza - 80% (4 in 5 fights)
3. Anderson Silva - 80% (12 in 15 fights)
4. Donald Cerrone - 67% (4 in 6 fights)
5. Nate Diaz - 63% (10 in 16 fights)

These standings may be very different in the next year or so, as Lauzon probably wants to get back in there soon, hopefully for another bonus or two and Nate Diaz' impending title shot is almost sure to produce fireworks, be it against Ben Henderson or Frankie Edgar. Maybe these statistics don't mean much to some readers but when it comes down to it, these bonuses drive many fighters do their best to put on great performances for the fans.