TLDR
- Terrance McKinney knocked out Kyle Nelson in just 24 seconds at UFC Seattle on Saturday
- The victory marked McKinney’s eighth first-round finish in 13 UFC fights and 17th career first-round finish overall
- McKinney received no Performance of the Night bonus despite the fast knockout
- He has never received a UFC bonus from Dana White across eight first-round finishes
- McKinney assured fans he was taken care of despite being excluded from the $100,000 bonus list
Sources: Bloody Elbow | Essentially Sports
Terrance McKinney knocked out Kyle Nelson in just 24 seconds at UFC Seattle on Saturday night, marking his eighth first-round finish in the UFC. Despite the lightning-fast knockout that opened the main card, McKinney received no performance bonus from the organization.
The Spokane fighter’s victory extended his career first-round finish record to 17 total wins. McKinney has now competed in 13 UFC fights, with eight of those ending in the first round.
TERRANCE MCKINNEY FIRST ROUND KNOCKOUT 😳 pic.twitter.com/8oyQqqacm8
— ITSDAFANTA 🥤 (@itsdafanta) March 29, 2026
Pattern of Bonus Snubs Continues
McKinney has never received a Performance of the Night bonus from UFC president Dana White despite his impressive finishing rate. The UFC currently offers $100,000 for each Performance of the Night bonus awarded at events.
The technical knockout victory came during the first fight of Saturday’s main card at Climate Pledge Arena. McKinney celebrated his win by shouting “I got that ninja strength!” during his post-fight interview.
Saturday’s UFC Seattle event featured an unusually high number of finishes throughout the card. All five main card fights ended with either knockouts or submissions rather than going to the judges’ scorecards.
McKinney Reassures Fans After Latest Snub
Following the event, McKinney addressed fans about being excluded from the bonus list once again. He assured supporters that he had been taken care of despite not receiving official bonus recognition from the promotion.
The pattern of McKinney not receiving bonuses has become a talking point among MMA fans and media. His finishing ability and exciting fighting style typically match the criteria UFC uses when awarding discretionary bonuses.
UFC Seattle drew a sold-out crowd of 17,854 fans to Climate Pledge Arena. The event generated a $4.2 million gate, breaking Fight Night records in the United States according to White.
The preliminary card also featured several stoppages, continuing the violent trend throughout the evening. Only one fight on the entire card went the full distance to a decision.
McKinney’s kill-or-be-killed fighting style has made him a fan favorite since joining the UFC roster. His approach leads to either quick victories or occasional losses, with very few of his fights reaching the later rounds.
The 24-second knockout of Nelson ranks among the fastest finishes in UFC lightweight division history. McKinney landed clean strikes that immediately compromised Nelson’s ability to continue.
White announced at the post-fight press conference that the UFC plans to return to Seattle “as much as possible” after two successful events in the city. He called the Seattle crowd “incredible” and praised their energy throughout the night.
The Performance of the Night bonuses at UFC Seattle went to other fighters on the card who also scored impressive finishes. McKinney’s exclusion from the bonus list marks the eighth time he has finished a fight in the first round without receiving extra compensation from the UFC.
