“Return the favor” - Ayaka Miura promises to put her second straight $50,000 bonus to good use

Japanese MMA fighter Ayaka Miura scored another impressive victory in Qatar last week. She was also rewarded with a $50,000 performance bonus, which she vowed to put to good use.

'Zombie' was one of the big winners at ONE 171: Qatar on Feb. 20 at the Lusail Sports Arena. She defeated come-backing Ritu Phogat by submission in the opening round by way of a kneebar.

The win was Miura's fourth straight, while the hefty incentive she got from ONE Chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong was her second in a row.

Speaking to combat sports journalist Nick Atkin of the Bangkok Post, Ayaka Miura spoke about her victory over Phogat, including winning a second straight performance bonus and how she intended to use it.

The 34-year-old Tribe Tokyo MMA standout said:

"I haven’t really decided what to do with the money I’m gonna be receiving, but I think I’m gonna return the favor to all my supporters around me. especially my team."

Watch the interview below:

At ONE 171, Ayaka Miura knew exactly what she wanted to do, taking the fight to Phogat right from the opening bell by shooting for a takedown. While her opponent did a good job breaking her takedown attempts early on, she eventually broke through.

On the ground, she put the pressure on Phogat, working through the latter's guard and grabbing one of her legs. She then executed a tight kneebar that forced Phogat to tap out soon after. The official time of the finish was at the 2:24 mark of the first round.

Miura's previous win that earned her the $50,000 bonus was over Macarena Aragon of Argentina, who she defeated in the first round back in November by submission (armlock).

The full replay of ONE 171: Qatar is available via watch.onefc.com.

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Ayaka Miura emotional after latest victory at ONE 171

Ayaka Miura continued with her impressive ONE Championship turnaround in her latest win at ONE 171, which left her all emotional after.

She poured her heart out during her post-fight interview with ONE commentator Mitch Chilson, saying:

"I feel so emotional. I'm so grateful to all the fans out there who have supported me winning. So, allow me to be emotional. Thanks a lot. And please [continue] giving me your support. Thanks a lot."

The win at ONE 171 was the fourth straight for Miura, taking her overall record in ONE Championship to 8-4 and solidifying her claim for a world title shot. Before her winning streak, she lost three in a row.