Kevin Vallejos made short work of Josh Emmett. | Getty/UFC

Kevin Vallejos delivered on the biggest stage of his career to date.

The 24-year-old Argentina native earned a $100,000 “Performance of the Night” award for his first-round technical knockout victory over Josh Emmett in the UFC Vegas 114 headliner on Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. Vallejos dropped his opponent with a right hand early, then sealed his victory with a barrage of offense against the fence at the 3:33 mark of Round 1.

Newcomers Earn Extra Cash

Meanwhile, Marwan Rahiki and Harry Hardwick secured “Fight of the Night” honors and $100,000 apiece for their wild featherweight battle on the main card. While both fighters had their moments during a series of furious exchanges, Rahiki did the most significant damage, forcing the bout to be halted after due rounds after it was suspected that Hardwick suffered a broken jaw.

Finally, Octagon newcomer Manuel Sosa received the evening’s other $100,000 “Performance of the Night” check thanks to his finish of Bolaji Oki in a preliminary lightweight tilt. A powerful right hand from the Brazilian rendered Oki unconscious at the 4:12 mark of the third period.