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Bonus Coverage | UFC 310: Pantoja vs Asakura

The Fights & Performances That Warranted An Extra $50,000 In 2024

UFC 310: Pantoja vs Asakura

The final pay-per-view of 2024 kicked off with an explosive preliminary card featuring six finishes and three exciting three-round bouts, setting the tone for an electrifying main card at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The action only intensified as the night progressed, with three of the five main card fights ending early. Here’s a look at the standout performances and who walked away with some extra change in their pockets.

Fight Card | Prelim ResultsMain Card Results | Official Scorecards

Alexandre Pantoja of Brazil submits Kai Asakura of Japan in the UFC flyweight championship bout during the UFC 310 event at T-Mobile Arena on December 07, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)
Alexandre Pantoja of Brazil submits Kai Asakura of Japan in the UFC flyweight championship bout during the UFC 310 event at T-Mobile Arena on December 07, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)

Performance Of The Night Bonuses 

Performance Of The Night: Kennedy Nzechukwu

Kennedy Nzechukwu is making sure he is undeniable heading into 2025. The heavyweight secured his second first-round stoppage in three months, finishing Lukasz Brzeski with a short right hook followed by heavy ground-and-pound. This victory follows a similar October win over Chris Barnett in Abu Dhabi. After a 6-5 run at light heavyweight, the Dana White’s Contender Series alum has found a new home at heavyweight, showcasing his power and potential to earn matchups against bigger names.

Performance Of The Night: Chase Hooper

Chase Hooper continues to impress by improving his game each time he steps into the Octagon, picking up a first round submission against UFC veteran Clay Guida. The 25-year-old dominated on the canvas, securing an armbar that forced Guida to tap. This marks Hooper's fourth straight win since moving to lightweight, demonstrating significant growth and solidifying his status as a rising prospect in the 155-pound division.

Performance Of The Night: Vicente Luque

Vicente Luque wasted no time making a statement, submitting Themba Gorimbo with an anaconda choke in 0:52 seconds. After absorbing a few leg kicks, Luque landed a sharp right hand and a follow-up left before securing the choke and putting Gorimbo to sleep. Coming off a loss and a tough stretch against top competition, "The Silent Assassin" reminded everyone he remains a contender in the welterweight division.

Performance Of The Night: Alexandre Pantoja

Alexandre Pantoja remains the UFC flyweight king with a second-round submission win over Kai Asakura during their main event clash. The champion set an aggressive pace early on, trading quick shots before taking Asakura’s back and finishing with a rear-naked choke. This marks Pantoja’s third consecutive title defense and one of his most dominant performances yet. The Brazilian standout, now on a seven-fight win streak, continues to cement his place as the top contender in the 125-pound division.

Attendance: 18,648
Gate: $5,011,650

UFC Fight Night: Yan vs Figueiredo

The UFC's return to Macau was an unforgettable night filled with spectacular finishes. From former champions battling in the main event to massive underdogs getting the job done, the card had it all. Check out the stand out performances and find out who earned a bonus. 

Fight Card | Prelim ResultsMain Card Results | Official Scorecards

Shi Ming kicks Feng Xiaocan in their Women’s Strawweight RTU Tournament Final fight during the UFC Fight Night event at Galaxy Arena on November 23, 2024 in Macau, China. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC)
Shi Ming kicks Feng Xiaocan in their Women’s Strawweight RTU Tournament Final fight during the UFC Fight Night event at Galaxy Arena on November 23, 2024 in Macau, China. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC)

Performance Of The Night Bonuses 

Performance Of The Night: Zhang Mingyang

Zhang Mingyang did it again. He moves to 2-0 inside the Octagon with another knockout, making it 11-straight first round finishes and 18th stoppage overall. Zhang caught Ozzy Diaz as he was stepping forward with a beautifully timed short elbow, putting the newcomer to the floor. "Mountain Tiger" has quickly made himself a known prospect and has massive potential in the light heavyweight division. 

Performance Of The Night: Gabriella Fernandes

Entering the fight as a massive underdog, Gabriella Fernandes shocked the crowd when she stopped highly touted prospect Wang Cong in the second round. Wang's skill was on display early, but the Brazilian kept her composure and found her shot. Fernandes landed a head kick, which dropped Wang, followed by a devastating straight left hand. Immediately after, Fernandes jumped on Wang to secure the rear-naked choke. 

Performance Of The Night: Muslim Salikhov

It wasn't the easiest night to decide who earned bonuses, but Dagestan's Muslim Salikhov made it a guarantee. Known for his diverse striking, he delivered again with a spinning wheel kick knockout in the first round, earning him his second straight victory.

Performance Of The Night: Shi Ming

You only get one first impression and Shi Ming is going to be remembered for years to come after hers. She earned a UFC contract with one of the most brutal head kick knockouts you'll ever see. With the win, Shi becomes the first female tournament winner in Road to UFC history.

Attendance: 12,615 (sold out)

UFC 309: Jones vs Miocic

With a star-studded, record-breaking audience looking on, the UFC’s 8th event at Madison Square Garden was a perfect example of the magic that happens when the UFC lands in New York City. History was made right and left, and when the final bell sounded, these were the performances that were still top of mind.

Fight Card | Prelim ResultsMain Card Results | Official Scorecards

Jon Jones of the United States of America reacts after his TKO victory against Stipe Miocic of the United States of America in the UFC heavyweight championship fight during the UFC 309 event at Madison Square Garden on November 16, 2024 in New York City. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)
Jon Jones reacts after his TKO victory against Stipe Miocic of the United States of America in the UFC heavyweight championship fight during the UFC 309 event at MSG on Nov. 16, 2024 in NYC (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)

Fight Of The Night: Charles Oliveira vs Michael Chandler 2

If you just looked at the stats without having seen the fight, you might be inclined to believe that the rematch between Charles Oliveira and Michael Chandler was one-way traffic, with the bus driven by ‘Do Bronx.’ But despite Oliveira’s absolutely clinical, multi-faceted performance, it was the dog in Michael Chandler that made this one Fight of the Night. A more cautious referee might have called it for Chandler as he was raining blows down on Oliveira in the fifth frame. And even more impressive was Chandler’s sheer strength in the waning seconds, as he---not once but twice—stood up with Oliveira clinging to his back and attempted to slam him in reverse. From the opening bell, it was an edge-of-your seat affair, just like we expected it would be.

Performance Of The Night Bonuses 

Performance Of The Night: Oban Elliott

The first finish of the evening was delivered courtesy of “The Welsh Gangster” Oban Elliott, who scored his third career KO in spectacular fashion. It’s not easy to stay patient in a fight with an opponent as dangerous and imposing as Bassil Hafez, but it was that was Elliott’s gamble, and it paid huge dividends.

Performance Of The Night: Ramiz Brahimaj

The Bronx’s Ramiz Brahimaj gave the Madison Square Garden crowd some local bragging rights when he dropped Mickey Gall in less than three minutes. It was his first fight at home and his first victory in over two years; a true cause for celebration.

Performance Of The Night: Jon Jones

What is there left to even say at this point about Jon Jones? He was already the G.O.A.T. of two divisions, and the most accomplished mixed martial artist of all time. His surgical dominance of Stipe Miocic—the greatest heavyweight of all time—answered all questions, silenced any doubters (assuming there were any) and, regardless of what comes next, secured his legacy in combat sports for all of time.

Attendance: 20,200
Gate: $16,673,954
Records: Second-highest grossing event in Madison Square Garden history. UFC Now holds the #1, #2, #3, #4, #6, #8 and #9 highest grossing events of all time

UFC Fight Night: Magny vs Prates

The 100th Fight Night at UFC APEX kicked off with high energy, delivering five consecutive finishes to set the tone for the night. An action-packed main card followed, with Neil Magny and Carlos Prates battling it out for a spot in the welterweight top 15. Check out the standout performances and find out who earned some extra cash.

Fight Card | Prelim ResultsMain Card Results | Official Scorecards

Carlos Prates of Brazil reacts after a knockout victory against Neil Magny in a welterweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at UFC APEX on November 09, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)
Carlos Prates of Brazil reacts after a knockout victory against Neil Magny in a welterweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at UFC APEX on November 09, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)

Performance Of The Night Bonuses 

Performance Of The Night: Carlos Prates

"The Nightmare" wrapped up the 100th Fight Night by walking away with a KO victory against Neil Magny. Magny initially tested Prates’ takedown defense, but the Brazilian stayed on his feet, pressing Magny against the fence before landing a decisive left hand near the end of the first round. Such a dominant victory is likely to break Prates into the top 15 and is sure to establish him as a serious contender in the welterweight division after a standout rookie year.

Performance Of The Night: Charles Radtke

Charles Radtke made quick work of his opponent, taking under a minute to push Matthew Semelsberger against the fence. He landed a strong left hand that staggered "Semi the Jedi," followed by another punch that dropped him to a knee. Radtke sealed the win with a flurry of strikes.

This marks another dominant first-round finish for Radtke, who is now 10-4, with impressive back-to-back UFC victories.

Performance Of The Night: Da’Mon Blackshear

Da'Mon Blackshear secured a first-round win over Cody Stamann after a flying knee left Stamann open to attack. Stamann started the bout off strong, but the knee from Blackshear turned the tide. Blackshear quickly went for a guillotine, then transitioned to a rear-naked choke as Stamann exposed his back, locking in the submission just before the round's end.

This victory ended Blackshear’s two-fight skid and showcased his grappling prowess, improving his UFC record to 3-3-1, with each win coming by stoppage.

Performance Of The Night: Mansur Abdul-Malik

Mansur Abdul-Malik made an impressive UFC debut with a first-round TKO over Dusko Todorovic, finishing him with powerful strikes and a decisive Muay Thai knee. Although still developing his skills, the undefeated 27-year-old showed his potential and could become a serious issue in the middleweight division with more experience.

UFC Fight Night: Moreno vs Albazi

In UFC’s second trip to Canada in 2024, the Octagon touched down in Edmonton for the first time since 2019. Flyweights headlined the action in the main and co-main events, putting on a fascinating display of skills over the course of 10 rounds.

Canadian fighters went 7-1 on the night, and a couple even earned some extra cash for their work in Alberta. 

Fight Card | Prelim ResultsMain Card Results | Official Scorecards

Charles Jourdain of Canada secures a guillotine choke submission against Victor Henry in a bantamweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at Rogers Place on November 02, 2024 in Edmonton, Alberta. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC)
Charles Jourdain of Canada secures a guillotine choke submission against Victor Henry in a bantamweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at Rogers Place on November 02, 2024 in Edmonton, Alberta. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC)

Performance Of The Night Bonuses 

Performance Of The Night: Charles Jourdain

Making his bantamweight debut, Charles “Air” Jourdain announced himself as yet another talented and tantalizing fighter in the 135-pound division. Jourdain had his hands full with the high pace and pressure from veteran Victor Henry, but he did well to thwart the American’s grappling and secure a guillotine submission. Jourdain seemed to have the right frame for bantamweight, and he has plenty of options for his next foray into the weightclass.

Performance of the Night: Youssef Zalal

One of the best stories of 2024 is Youssef Zalal. Making his return to the promotion after almost two years away, Zalal secured his third consecutive submission win of 2024 and sixth consecutive win overall. He did so against the talented and well-regarded Jack Shore. 

The finish was a beauty. Zalal flattened Shore with a step-in knee, and when the Welshman went to the mat, Zalal quickly and patiently wrapped up an arm-triangle choke. 

Performance of the Night: Dustin Stoltzfus

The night’s lone knockout belonged to Dustin Stoltzfus

Facing Canadian brawler Marc-André Barriault, Stoltzfus put the pressure on him early, and with 30 seconds left, opened up with a wicked combination. In the end, it was a right hand that dropped Barriault and earned Stoltzfus a bounce-back win. 

Performance of the Night: Jasmine Jasudavicius

In her third fight of the year, Canada’s Jasmine Jasudavicius picked up her third consecutive win and fifth win in six fights with a sharp performance over Ariane da Silva. 

After a feeling-out period, Jasudavicius did was she does best and mixed things up, finding success with both her hands and her grappling. In a slick scramble, Jasudavicius chained her submissions well and got the D’arce choke win in the third round.

Gate: $2,600,463 (USD)

Attendance: 16, 439

*The highest-grossing UFC Fight Night in history within North America

 

UFC 308: Topuria vs Holloway

The UFC returned to Abu Dhabi to host another top-tier event, with standout featherweights Max Holloway and champion Ilia Topuria headlining the night in a battle for the title. Fighters across the card brought intense action, creating unforgettable moments that electrified the arena. Let’s take a closer look at which fighters made a lasting impression at UFC 308.

Fight Card | Prelim ResultsMain Card Results | Official Scorecards

Khamzat Chimaev of Russia secures a submission against Robert Whittaker of New Zealand in a middleweight fight during the UFC 308 event at Etihad Arena on October 26, 2024 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)
Khamzat Chimaev of Russia secures a submission against Robert Whittaker of New Zealand in a middleweight fight during the UFC 308 event at Etihad Arena on October 26, 2024 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)

Fight Of The Night: Mateusz Rebecki vs Myktybek Orolbai

Mateusz Rebecki and Myktybek Orolbai put on a brutal show in their intense 160-pound catchweight fight, with Rebecki ultimately securing a split decision victory at the Etihad Arena. Now 20-2, Rebecki fought through a gritty, back-and-forth clash, knocking down Orolbai in the third round but not without fierce opposition throughout. Despite a swollen eye, Orolbai, now 13-2-1, showcased his toughness as he narrowly missed victory in a tough battle.

Performance Of The Night Bonuses 

Performance Of The Night: Illia Topuria

Featherweight champion Ilia Topuria made good on his promise, defending his title in Abu Dhabi with a third-round knockout of former champ Max Holloway in the UFC 308 main event. After claiming the title by finishing Alexander Volkanovski in February, Topuria’s flawless 16-0 record now includes another top-tier opponent. Both fighters traded at a distance early on, with Topuria applying pressure and landing heavy strikes. In the third, a powerful right shook Holloway, setting up a final left that ended the fight.

Performance Of The Night: Shara Magomedov

Undefeated middleweight Shara Magomedov reminded everyone of his danger with a statement second-round knockout over Armen Petrosyan in the main card opener. Despite a strong start from Petrosyan, Magomedov quickly found his rhythm, keeping everyone on their toes. In round two, he pulled ahead and finished the fight with a stunning double backfist that dropped Petrosyan, prompting an immediate stoppage at 4:52. Magomedov’s record now stands at 15-0.

Performance Of The Night: Khamzat Chimaev 

Khamzat Chimaev made a big return after a year, submitting former middleweight champion Robert Whittaker in under four minutes. Chimaev quickly secured a takedown, regained control after a brief scramble, and locked in an intense face crank for the tap at 3:34 of the first round. Chimaev, ranked No. 13, remains undefeated at 14-0, while Whittaker, ranked No. 3, now holds a 27-8 record.

Attendance: 
Gate: 
Records: 

UFC Fight Night: Hernandez vs Pereira

A slate of crucial divisional bouts were featured on UFC Fight Night: Hernandez vs Pereira that were effective in serving as the appetizer for next Saturday’s UFC 308. Close, highly technical bouts were the specialty of this UFC Apex event, with these three athletes getting particular recognition for their efforts.

Fight Card | Prelim ResultsMain Card Results | Official Scorecards

Darren Elkins reacts after a featherweight fight against Daniel Pineda during the UFC Fight Night event at UFC APEX on October 19, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC)
Darren Elkins reacts after a featherweight fight against Daniel Pineda during the UFC Fight Night event at UFC APEX on October 19, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC)

Fight Of The Night: Elkins vs Pineda

It wasn’t a sight for the faint of heart as the two grizzled featherweight veterans spilled each other’s blood all over the canvas, but the bout between Darren Elkins and Daniel Pineda was an emphatic reminder of why they remain fan favorites among MMA hardcores. Fifteen minutes of pure, unadulterated mayhem got the main card rocking at the UFC Apex as the 40-year-old Elkins sported cardio of a man half his age to defeat the 39-year-old Pineda, who retired after going out on his shield in a throwback banger.

Performance Of The Night Bonuses 

Performance Of The Night: Anthony Hernandez

Anthony Hernandez had said this week that we were looking at the next middleweight champion, and after watching him dismantle Michel Pereira, it’s hard not to wonder if he might be right. By midway through the second round, the normally high-energy Pereira looked completely exhausted and out of ideas when it came to the smothering energy of “Fluffy.” The onslaught would continue in kind until a fifth round TKO, but this one was over much earlier. Now on a six-fight win streak, Hernandez was a picture of pure dominance this night.

UFC Fight Night: Royval vs Taira

The Octagon made its way back to the UFC APEX for an electrifying evening at UFC Fight Night: Royval vs Taira, where the athletes put on a banger of a show. The event showcased dominant victories, intense back-and-forth clashes, and some exceptional finishes. With top flyweights Brandon Royval and Tatsuro Taira wrapping up the evening in a tightly contested bout, here are the performances that earned an extra $50,000 bonus.

Fight Card | Prelim ResultsMain Card Results | Official Scorecards

Brandon Royval and Tatsuro Taira of Japan hug after a flyweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at UFC APEX on October 12, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)
Brandon Royval and Tatsuro Taira of Japan hug after a flyweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at UFC APEX on October 12, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)

Fight Of The Night: Brandon Royval vs Tatsuro Taira

The flyweight main event between Brandon Royval and Tatsuro Taira lived up to expectations, delivering a fast-paced, action-packed fight that confirmed both as top contenders in the 125-pound division. Royval excelled in striking, while Taira dominated on the ground, with each securing a round before exchanging big moments in the third. Taira controlled the fourth, but Royval mounted a comeback in the fifth. In the end, Royval earned a split decision victory, collecting his second straight win, and handing Taira his first professional loss.

Performance Of The Night Bonuses 

Performance Of The Night: Ramazan Temirov

Ramazan Temirov surely made a powerful UFC debut, overwhelming C.J. Vergara with a barrage of punches against the fence, ending the fight with a vicious body shot. Temirov dropped Vergara twice and didn't hesitate to quickly capitalize each time he hurt him. The 27-year-old Uzbek fighter has now claimed 11 straight victories, showcasing the striking power in his hands, with his last five wins ending in first-round knockouts. His impressive performance solidifies him as a flyweight to watch closely.

Performance Of The Night: Clayton Carpenter

Clayton Carpenter made a successful return after 20 months, securing a second-round submission win over Lucas Rocha. After trading heavy strikes early on in the bout, Carpenter took Rocha to the ground, dominating with elbows before sinking in a choke in the second to finish the fight. Now 8-0 with back-to-back finishes in the UFC, the 28-year-old shows maturity beyond his experience and is a rising talent in the flyweight division.

UFC 307: Pereira vs Rountree Jr

The third consecutive year in Salt Lake City just continued the bevy of evidence of why the UFC is the perfect fit for Utah, as the rabid fans were treated once again to some spine-tingling performances. When the dust finally settled, these were the fighters leaving Delta Center with a little extra change in their pockets.

Fight Card | Prelim ResultsMain Card Results | Official Scorecards

Alex Pereira of Brazil punches Khalil Rountree Jr. in the UFC light heavyweight championship fight during the UFC 307 event at Delta Center on October 05, 2024 in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Alex Pereira of Brazil punches Khalil Rountree Jr. in the UFC light heavyweight championship fight during the UFC 307 event at Delta Center on October 05, 2024 in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Fight Of The Night: Alex Pereira vs Khalil Rountree Jr.

There was never any doubt why Khalil Rountree Jr. was chosen for this thankless assignment vs Alex Pereira. Through the first two rounds, he was up on the scorecards and undeniably in the pole position. But in the championship rounds, “Poatan” reminded everyone why he’s a force across two (and maybe one day) three different divisions; a venerable puzzle that has yet to be completely solved.

Performance Of The Night Bonuses 

Performance Of The Night: Ryan Spann

Upon dispatching the veteran Ovince Saint Preux, Ryan Spann approached the broadcast booth and said that was the “Super-Manatee,” his new name for a savage guillotine choke he executed just 95 seconds into the first round to get the Utah crowd to their feet. As he himself acknowledged, he’s dangerous when he’s consistent. And if the Fortis product can maintain this level of consistency, the light heavyweight division should sit up and take notice.

Performance Of The Night: Joaquin Buckley

Joaquin Buckley, the owner of perhaps the most recognizable KO in UFC history added another knockout to the trophy case with a shocking drop of Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson in the third round of the featured prelim. It looked like the fight was going to go to the scorecards—and probably for Wonderboy—when Buckley found the perfect home for his right hand and all the undeniable power that comes with it. Fighters looking past “New Mansa” do so at their peril.

UFC Fight Night: Moicano vs Saint Denis

For the third straight year, the UFC touched down in The City Of Light for an incredible fight night, this time topped by a pivotal lightweight bout between Renato Moicano and Benoît Saint Denis.

The sold-out crowd was already raucous from the very opening bell, and with the fourteen high-energy bouts that followed, the powers that be had a lot of choices when it came to handing out bonuses. It couldn’t have been easy, but it’s hard to argue with where they landed.

Fight Card | Prelim ResultsMain Card Results | Official Scorecards

Fares Ziam of France reacts after a knockout victory against Matt Frevola in a lightweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at The Accor Arena on September 28, 2024 in Paris, France. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)
Fares Ziam of France reacts after a knockout victory against Matt Frevola in a lightweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at The Accor Arena on September 28, 2024 in Paris, France. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)

Performance Of The Night Bonuses 

Performance Of The Night: Bryan Battle

It feels like only yesterday that Bryan Battle was winning The Ultimate Fighter, but his win over Kevin Jousset in Paris was his eighth UFC bout post-TUF, and his sixth win of those eight. And what a win! To the chagrin of the Accor Arena audience, who loudly voiced their dismay, Battle swarmed in for the TKO when he saw his Bordeaux-born opponent start to wobble. If the welterweight division has been sleeping on Battle, they should probably start paying attention.

Performance Of The Night: Morgan Charrière

“The Last Pirate” has a fervent following that rivals most any fighter in the game, and performances like the one vs Gabriel Miranda tonight are a huge part of the reason why. The French national scored another huge win in the friendly confines of Accor Arena, putting Gabriel Miranda on his back just a few seconds into the second round. Now 2-1 in the UFC (with the one loss being a razor close split), Charrière continues to prove he’s a force to be reckoned with.

Performance Of The Night: Fares Ziam

Fares Ziam’s first UFC finish was as beautifully precise as it was difficult to watch. “Smile Killer” did precisely that to fans of his opponent as he connected with a stunning knee to the jaw deep in the third round that flattened Matt Frevola. Ziam looked as sharp as he ever did inside the Octagon, and the adoring hometown crowd knew immediately their guy was getting a bonus.

Performance Of The Night: Chris Duncan

Those who were seated for the first fight of the night at Accor Arena—and there we a lot—were treated to an immediate showcase by “The Problem” Chris Duncan, who sank in a deep guillotine choke on Bolaji Oki. It might have appeared that Oki escaped the choke, but in fact he was out cold, a fact that Duncan immediately pointed out from his back to end the contest. Perhaps when he retires one day, Duncan has a bright future in refereeing.

UFC 306 - Riyadh Season Noche UFC

The UFC made history by hosting a star-studded event at the Las Vegas Sphere in honor of Mexican Independence Day, marking the first-ever sporting event at the venue. With eight Mexican athletes competing and two new champions crowned, the night was a thrilling and unforgettable experience in Las Vegas. See which performances stood out and who walked away with some extra cash.

Fight Card | Prelim ResultsMain Card Results | Official Scorecards

Ketlen Souza of Brazil reacts to her win in a strawweight fight during the UFC 306 at Riyadh Season Noche UFC event at Sphere on September 14, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC)
Ketlen Souza of Brazil reacts to her win in a strawweight fight during the UFC 306 at Riyadh Season Noche UFC event at Sphere on September 14, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC)

Fight Of The Night: Daniel Zellhuber vs Esteban Ribovics

Daniel Zellhuber and Esteban Ribovics delivered an unforgettable, back-and-forth battle on the main card, escalating their attacks and becoming more dangerous as the fight progressed. After two tightly contested rounds, Zellhuber showcased a variety of strikes, while Ribovics stuck to a more straightforward approach. In the final round, both fighters exchanged a relentless amount of blows until the last second. Ribovics ultimately secured the victory, capping off an intense fight that ranks among the best of the year.

Performance Of The Night Bonuses 

Performance Of The Night: Ignacio Bahamondes 

Ignacio Bahamondes took home a win for Mexico as he expertly used Manuel Torres' aggression against him. After countering Torres' missed shots with precise strikes, Bahamondes dropped him twice, finishing the fight with some heavy ground-and-pound on the second knockdown. This marks Bahamondes' second consecutive first-round stoppage win, showing significant improvement since his loss to Ludovit Klein.

Performance Of The Night: Ketlen Souza

Ketlen Souza secured the first finish of the night, dropping Yazmin Jauregui with a powerful left hook while they traded some big shots. She quickly followed up by taking Jauregui’s back and locking in a choke for the submission win. This marks Souza’s second consecutive UFC victory, showcasing her as a rising threat to the strawweight division after losing her debut to Karine Silva.

Attendance: 16,024, sold out
Gate: $22m USD

UFC Fight Night: Burns vs Brady

The UFC returned home from a quick weekend off with a packed card at the UFC APEX. In the night's headline bout, Sean Brady secured a dominant victory against welterweight staple Gilbert Burns. Six fighters wrapped things up early, putting themselves in the winner's circle as we kick off September.

Fight Card | Prelim ResultsMain Card Results | Official Scorecards

Cody Durden secures a choke submission against Matt Schnell in a bantamweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at UFC APEX on September 07, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)
Cody Durden secures a choke submission against Matt Schnell in a bantamweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at UFC APEX on September 07, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)

Fight Of The Night: Jessica Andrade vs Natalia Silva

The co-main event between fellow Brazilians Natalia Silva and Jessica Andrade delivered on all the action, with Silva earning the biggest win of her career. Using her speed and striking, Silva kept Andrade at bay with her quick speed and striking, pulling further ahead as the fight wore on. Despite Andrade landing some significant strikes in each round, Silva's durability kept her in the fight, leaving it in the hands of the scorecards. Silva's unanimous decision victory moved her UFC record to 6-0, solidifying her as a threat to the top flyweight contenders. As the division heats up, fans can look forward to exciting matchups throughout the rest of the year.

Performance Of The Night Bonuses 

Performance Of The Night: Cody Durden

Cody Durden secured a second-round submission win over Matt Schnell with an anaconda choke after a fast-paced, action-packed first round. Despite taking the fight on just four days' notice, Durden skillfully countered Schnell's takedown and locked in the choke. This victory is a solid rebound for Durden following a knockout loss, improving his record to 5-2 in his last seven bouts as he eyes a return to the rankings.

Performance Of The Night:  Steve Garcia

Steve Garcia notched his fifth consecutive finish after weathering a rough start with Kyle Nelson, who controlled him on the ground early on. But once Garcia turned the tide, he unleashed a barrage of elbows, leading to another stoppage for Garcia. The 32-year-old has now secured five straight stoppage victories, including two this year, moving him closer to a Top 15 matchup.

UFC Fight Night: Cannonier vs Borralho

The Octagon returned from Western Australia to its familiar home inside UFC APEX with an exciting middleweight showdown, along with two new Ultimate Fighters crowned. See whose performances shined bright. 

Fight Card | Prelim Results Main Card Results | Official Scorecards

Caio Borralho of Brazil punches Jared Cannonier in a middleweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at UFC APEX on August 24, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)
Caio Borralho of Brazil punches Jared Cannonier in a middleweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at UFC APEX on August 24, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)

Fight Of The Night: Caio Borralho vs Jared Cannonier

Middleweights put on a show inside the APEX on Saturday night. Caio Borralho secured the biggest win of his career, by taking down former title challenger Jared Cannonier by unanimous decision.

It was a back-and-forth scrap and both athletes found their groove throughout the fight, hurting their opponent multiple times during the scrap. In the fifth round, “The Natural” put the pedal on the gas, hurting Cannonier badly in the last 2 minutes of the fight, securing his victory. With the win, Borralho moves to 7-0 in the UFC and called out the champ, Dricus Du Plessis.

Performance Of The Night Bonuses 

Performance Of The Night: Michael Morales 

Ecuador’s Michael Morales remained undefeated with the biggest win of his career after stopping veteran Neil Magny in the first round.

It was Morales throughout the whole fight, as he landed a spinning back elbow that sent Magny down. There was no looking back as Morales continued to pour on shots forcing the ref to step in. The win show Morales’ talent and that he is a contender in the welterweight division.

Performance Of The Night: Gerald Meerschaert 

Never count Gerald Meerschaert out. 

It was a classic turn of events as Edmen Shahbazyan almost finished “GM3” earlier in the second round after he caught with an uppercut to the body. After defending the shots and getting back up to his feet, the middleweight was able to score a level-change taking things to the ground where he is at his best. The arm-triangle choke came at 4:12 in the second round, marking Meerschaert’s 12th stoppage win, the most in UFC middleweight history.

UFC 305: Du Plessis vs Adesanya

The Octagon returned to Perth, Australia for its third visit, bringing a can’t miss pay-per-view event to RAC Arena that lived up to the hype. With middleweight powerhouses Dricus Du Plessis and Israel Adesanya headlining the night, check out which fighters outshined the rest and walked away with an extra 50k.

Fight Card | Prelim ResultsMain Card Results | Official Scorecards

Kai Kara-France of New Zealand reacts after his knockout victory against Steve Erceg of Australia in a flyweight fight during the UFC 305 event at RAC Arena on August 18, 2024 in Perth, Australia. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC)
Kai Kara-France of New Zealand reacts after his knockout victory against Steve Erceg of Australia in a flyweight fight during the UFC 305 event at RAC Arena on August 18, 2024 in Perth, Australia. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC)

Fight Of The Night: Dan Hooker vs Mateusz Gamrot

Dan Hooker and Mateusz Gamrot put on a show, delivering the back-and-forth battle everyone was hoping for. Gamrot came out strong, landing some solid shots before attempting to take it to the ground, but Hooker held his own and even landed a strong shot towards the end of the first round. The second was a toss-up, with Hooker landing the bigger hits and Gamrot scoring a takedown. By the third, they were trading punches, with Hooker shutting down most of Gamrot's grappling attempts. In the end, the judges gave the hand raise to Hooker after an awesome scrap between two top lightweights.

Performance Of The Night Bonuses 

Performance Of The Night: Kai Kara-France

Kai Kara-France made a triumphant return to the Octagon, securing a dominant first-round stoppage over recent title challanger Steve Erceg. After landing a powerful left hand that dropped Erceg, Kara-France wasted no time finishing the fight, putting himself back in the flyweight title conversation. This emotional win marked his first victory since March 2022 and could lead to him getting a shot at the title sooner than we think.

Performance Of The Night: Carlos Prates

Carlos Prates started the UFC 305 main card with a bang, becoming the first to knock out veteran Li Jingliang and adding another impressive victory to his standout rookie year. Prates displayed his dangerous striking skills, damaging Li repeatedly before finishing him with a left hand in the second round. Now 3-0 in the UFC and riding a 10-fight win streak, Prates is building a strong case for a Top 15 ranking.

Attendance: 14,152 attendance, sold out
Gate: $5,477,097 USD
Records: Highest grossing event at RAC arena

UFC Fight Night: Tybura vs Spivac 2

The UFC returns home for a brief stop at the UFC APEX this weekend, featuring an action-packed lineup headlined by a heavyweight rematch between Marcin Tybura and Sergey Spivak. Let’s find out who earned some extra cash for their jaw-dropping performances.

Fight Card | Prelim ResultsMain Card Results | Official Scorecards

Serghei Spivac of Moldova reacts after a submission victory against Marcin Tybura of Poland in a heavyweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at UFC APEX on August 10, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Al Powers/Zuffa LLC)
Serghei Spivac of Moldova reacts after a submission victory against Marcin Tybura of Poland in a heavyweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at UFC APEX on August 10, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Al Powers/Zuffa LLC)

Performance Of The Night Bonuses 

Performance Of The Night: Serghei Spivac

Serghei Spivac had a quick night in the office as he submitted Marcin Tybura in Round 1 of their main event rematch. "The Polar Bear" wasted no time, landing an early shot and initiating a grappling exchange and eventually forcing the tap. This win avenges his previous loss to Tybura and improves Spivac's record to a solid 7-2.

Performance Of The Night: Youssef Zalal

Youssef Zalal earned himself a quick Round 1 Submission victory against Jarno Errens, marking his second consecutive submission win since returning to the UFC. After a strong return against Billy Quarantillo, "The Moroccan Devil" dominated Errens, quickly securing a body triangle and forcing the tap. After a rough first UFC stint, Zalal has now racked up five straight finishes and is becoming a rising featherweight to watch.

Performance Of The Night: Toshiomi Kazama

Toshiomi Kazama secured his first UFC win by submitting Charalampos Grigoriou with a triangle choke in tonight's second. After controlling the first round with his grappling, Kazama faced a tough start in the following round but quickly took advantage when Grigoriou paused, locking in the choke for the tap. This victory marks a strong comeback for the Road to UFC finalist, who rebounded from his previous two UFC losses to earn his 10th career win.

UFC Fight Night: Sandhagen vs Nurmagomedov

The UFC’s return to Abu Dhabi produced several standout efforts inside the Octagon.

After the prelims wrapped with a pair of finishes, the action on the main card remained captivating and exciting, with a pair of contenders emerging in the bantamweight division, as both Umar Nurmagomedov and Deiveson Figueiredo picked up critical victories in high-stakes matchups.

Fight Card | Prelim ResultsMain Card Results | Official Scorecards

Shara Magomedov punches Michal Oleksiejczuk in a middleweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at Etihad Arena on August 03, 2024 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC)
Shara Magomedov punches Michal Oleksiejczuk in a middleweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at Etihad Arena on August 03, 2024 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC)

Fight Of The Night: Shara Magomedov vs Michal Oleksiejczuk

In the co-main event, middleweight Shara Magomedov collected his third-straight victory inside the Octagon, picking up a unanimous decision victory against Michal Oleksiejczuk. Poland's Oleksiejczuk didn't make it easy for the undefeated Magomedov, constantly moving forward despite taking Magomedov's best shots.

Magomedov did, however, control the striking throughout the 15 minutes, landing many of his trademark kicks and a vicious elbow that opened a cut on Oleksiejczuk's forehead. Oleksiejczuk put pressure on Magomedov the entire fight, and even secured takedowns at the latter stages of the rounds, but it was too little too late as Magomedov extends his professional mixed martial arts record to 14-0.

Performance Of The Night Bonuses 

Performance Of The Night: Joel Álvarez

Lightweight Joel Álvarez proved he's one to watch in the ultra competitive 155-pound division with a third round TKO victory over Elves Brener, who'd never been finished in his professional career until now.

Álvarez, who improved his record to 21-3, maintains his 100 percent finish rate as a pro, which includes six stoppages inside the Octagon. With this victory, Álvarez is right on the outside looking in to the coveted lightweight Top 15.

Performance Of The Night: Azamat Murzakanov

Light heavyweight Azamat Murzakanov closed out the early prelims in style, finishing Alonzo Menifield midway through the second round. The 35-year-old showed no signs he hadn't competed in the Octagon for over a year; Murzakanov was the more active and effective striker for as long as the fight lasted.

With this win, Murzakanov keeps his undefeated record in tact and extends his UFC win streak to four.

UFC 304: Edwards vs Muhammad 2

You’d have to go all the way back to UFC 204 to remember the last time the UFC was in Manchester. A return was long overdue, and a packed crowd at the new Co-Op Arena made sure it was a night never to be forgotten from the first punch of the first bout. Despite kicking off at 11pm local time, the high-energy atmosphere never waned, and when it came time to choose the event’s bonuses, there were a plethora to choose from.

Fight Card | Prelim ResultsMain Card Results | Official Scorecards

Tom Aspinall of England raises the interim UFC heavyweight championship belt after his knockout victory against Curtis Blaydes of the U.S. during the UFC 304 event at Co-op Live on July 27, 2024 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Ben Roberts Photo/Getty Images)
Tom Aspinall of England raises the interim UFC heavyweight championship belt after his knockout victory against Curtis Blaydes of the U.S. during the UFC 304 event on July 27, 2024 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Ben Roberts Photo/Getty Images)

Performance Of The Night Bonuses 

Performance Of The Night: Tom Aspinall

You didn’t really think after the freakish way their initial fight went that Tom Aspinall would let the UFC come to his hometown—for the first time in exactly 100 pay-per-views—and not come away with the win? The interim heavyweight champion retained his belt with the speed and power that has become his trademark, and left his loyal fans joyously chanting his “Tommy Aspinall” song into the beautiful Manchester morning.

Performance Of The Night: Paddy Pimblett

The crowd at Co-Op Arena would have been forgiven for dozing at 4:45am local time, but Paddy “The Baddy” Pimblett made sure that wasn’t possible. After electrifying the crowd with the best walkout of the event, he followed it up with one of the best finishes of the event, becoming the first fighter to submit veteran King Green in the UFC. For his troubles, he received a double bonus: one for each of his infant twin daughters.

Performance Of The Night: Mick Parkin

You would have thought it was a finish in the main event the way the crowd in Co-Op Arena roared after Mick Parkin’s first round KO of Lukasz Brzeski, but it was merely the second fight of the night and it set the tone for the entire event. While it was his fourth UFC win in a row (tying Alexander Volkov for the longest streak at heavyweight), it was his first UFC finish, and nothing could be sweeter than getting it front of his home country.

UFC Fight Night: Lemos vs Jandiroba 

The UFC returned to its home base for an exciting night at the UFC APEX, with all eyes on Amanda Lemos and Virna Jandiroba in the main event. In the end, these were the four athletes heading home with an extra $50K.

Fight Card | Prelim ResultsMain Card Results | Official Scorecards

Virna Jandiroba of Brazil secures an arm bar submission against Amanda Lemos of Brazil in a strawweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at UFC APEX on July 20, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC)
Virna Jandiroba of Brazil secures an arm bar submission against Amanda Lemos of Brazil in a strawweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at UFC APEX on July 20, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC)

Performance Of The Night Bonuses 

Performance Of The Night: Virna Jandiroba

Virna Jandiroba has solidified her position as a new contender in the competitive strawweight division by submitting recent title challenger Amanda Lemos, marking her fourth straight victory. The former Invicta FC champion showcased her dominance on the canvas, controlling the first round and capitalizing on Lemos's decision to go to the ground in the second. Jandiroba transitioned from a rear-naked choke attempt to an armbar, and forced a tap just before the end of the round. 

Performance Of The Night: Steve Garcia

Steve Garcia achieved his fourth straight win with a knockout against SeungWoo Choi in the co-main event. Right from the beginning, Garcia aggressively aimed for Choi's chin, causing Choi to become unstable. Garcia continued to lay a heavy hand, eventually knocking Choi down and finishing him on the ground. Following a slow start in his UFC career, Garcia has now won his last four fights inside the distance, showcasing his power and finishing ability.

Performance Of The Night: Bruno Silva

Bruno Silva staged a remarkable comeback in his bout with Cody Durden. Though he was behind for most of the fight, Silva delivered a precise uppercut late in the second round, sending Durden's mouthguard flying. He then finished the match with a flurry of elbows and punches. 

This victory is Silva's fourth consecutive stoppage, showcasing his threat to the flyweight division and his potential as a major contender if he stays active.

Performance Of The Night: Hyder Amil

The bout between Hyder Amil and JeongYeong Lee lasted a little over 60 seconds and was marked by a furious exchange of strikes. Lee landed the first blows, but Amil responded swiftly with a 38-punch barrage that resulted in a standing stoppage. 

This win is Amil's second in the UFC and has cemented his status as a thrilling fighter to watch. With a perfect 10-0 record as a professional, the 34-year-old is now set for more challenging opponents after this dynamic performance.

UFC Fight Night: Namajunas vs Cortez

After a quick weekend off the Octagon made its return to Denver to deliver some incredible moments and jaw dropping action. Check out the top performances from UFC Fight Night: Namajunas vs Cortez and see which fighters took home some extra cash. 

Fight Card | Prelim ResultsMain Card Results | Official Scorecards

Charles Johnson reacts after his victory over Joshua Van of Myanmar in a flyweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at Ball Arena on July 13, 2024 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC)
Charles Johnson reacts after his victory over Joshua Van of Myanmar in a flyweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at Ball Arena on July 13, 2024 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC)

Fight Of The Night: Jean Silva vs Drew Dober 

Jean Silva and Drew Dober had the intense fight everyone expected, with Silva winning by a third-round stoppage. They were evenly matched in the first round, but Silva took control in the second, turning a small cut over Dober's eye into a major wound. The fight was stopped early in the third round due to the severity of Dober's cut.

This victory is Silva's second stoppage win in three weeks and his third win of 2024, making for an impressive rookie year in the UFC. The Fighting Nerds team and the DWCS Class of '23 are really making their mark.

Performance Of The Night Bonuses 

Performance Of The Night: Charles Johnson

Charles Johnson made a statement in his fight against Joshua Van, finishing it early in the third round to avoid a decision. Johnson started strong and, despite Van finding his rhythm, came out fiercely in the third round. He wobbled Van with a right hand and finished him with a sharp uppercut.

Known for his high activity, Johnson has already racked up three wins this year. At 33, he's a crucial part of the flyweight division and shows no signs of slowing down.

Performance Of The Night: Montel Jackson

True to his nickname "Quik," Jackson knocked out Da’Mon Blackshear with a powerful left hand, ending the fight immediately.

Part of Dana White’s Contender Series Class of ’18, Jackson has now won five straight fights in the Octagon, with the last two victories being first-round knockouts. With an 8-2 UFC record, the reserved Milwaukee native continues to make a strong impression through his performance.

Gross Total Revenue: $2,374,303 

Attendance: 16,884 *Sold Out

UFC 303: Pereira vs Procházka 2 

The card that was first announced and the card that was fought tonight in T-Mobile Arena very different beasts, but the reconfigured event was a matchmakers work of art, full of explosive performances that proudly upheld the annual tradition of International Fight Week mega-events.

Fight Card | Prelim ResultsMain Card Results | Official Scorecards

Cub Swanson and Andre Fili interact after their featherweight fight during the UFC 303 event at T-Mobile Arena on June 29, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)
Cub Swanson and Andre Fili interact after their featherweight fight during the UFC 303 event at T-Mobile Arena on June 29, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC)

Fight Of The Night: Andre Fili vs Cub Swanson

Looking down the UFC 303 fight card for potential fight of the nights, one bout most people had circled was the prelim tilt between two of the promotion’s most game veterans (and tattoo enthusiasts), and the fighters did not disappoint. The 40-year-old Swanson looked as fast and crisp as he ever did and Fili countered him with his own still-evolving game. So close was the contest that the fact it ended in a split surprised no one who watched.

Performance Of The Night Bonuses 

Performance Of The Night: Joe Pyfer

“That is a scary man, ladies and gentlemen,” said Joe Rogan after watching the middleweight fold Marc-Andre Barriault with a devastating uppercut. After the lone setback in his MMA career, Pyfer rebounded in the biggest possible way and promptly put his division on notice.

Performance Of The Night: Macy Chiasson

The New Orleans native and Ultimate Fighter winner Macy Chiasson has always been a problem for her opponents with a lethal cocktail of size, strength and heart, and her main card tilt vs Mayra Bueno Silva was no exception. The Brazilian didn’t make it easy on Chiasson, landing 40 out of 50 significant strikes in the first round. But when Chiasson got Silva to the ground in the second round, she unleashed some brutal—and we mean brutal—ground and pound, punctuated by an elbow so sharp that it ripped open the flesh above Silva’s eye to create a wound that made the audience gasp audibly. The damage had been done and the referee called the fight on advice from the doctor. Chiasson now finds herself in striking distance of a bantamweight title shot.

Performance Of The Night: Payton Talbott

There’s just something special about Payton Talbott, the latest evidence being his 19-second KO of Yanis Ghemmouri, the first finish of the UFC 303 proceedings. 

“There’s an art to the way that kid puts people away,” Joe Rogan remarked of the still-undefeated 25-year-old.

“It feels like all my dreams are coming true,” he’d say afterwards before calling out Adrian Yanez. For the rest of us, it feels like we’re watching the origin story of a future legend

Performance Of The Night: Alex Pereira

Commentator Jon Anik remarked that he was “all out of superlatives” when it came to describing Alex Pereira, because his meteoric rise during a relatively short MMA career continues to astound. When his opponent, Jiří Procházka, was literally saved by the bell from a first round KO because the referee didn’t have time to stop the fight, “Poatan” put an exclamation point on the fight at the start of the second with a head kick the starched the former champion. Pereira teased a run a heavyweight following the win, and at least tonight, it’s difficult to imagine what he can’t do.

Attendance: 18,881
Gate: $15,909,243
*4th highest gate in UFC history

UFC Fight Night: Whittaker vs Aliskerov

The UFC’s first visit to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia was already cause for celebration, and the athletes of the inaugural fight card rose to the occasion and put on a spectacular show in Riyadh. There were a lot of choices for bonuses, and ultimately the fighters below were the ones  flying home with a little extra cash in their pockets.

Fight Card | Prelim ResultsMain Card Results | Official Scorecards

Volkan Oezdemir of Switzerland knocks out Johnny Walker of Brazil in a light heavyweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at Kingdom Arena on June 22, 2024 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)
Volkan Oezdemir of Switzerland knocks out Johnny Walker of Brazil in a light heavyweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at Kingdom Arena on June 22, 2024 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)

Performance Of The Night Bonuses 

Performance Of The Night: Robert Whittaker

Making good on his promise to fight anyone, anywhere, Whittaker didn’t back down when faced with dangerous newcomer Ikram Aliskerov as a short-notice replacement for Khamzat Chimaev. He didn’t even need a full two minutes to find the chin of his opponent with a swift uppercut that rocked the man riding a 7-fight win streak into the main event. Whittaker noted he’d be interested in being the backup fighter for the middleweight championship fight in Perth this August, and after peformances like this, who in their right mind would say no?

Performance Of The Night: Volkan Oezdemir

It was hard to be more succinct than Jon Anik when he yelled “Volkan Oezdemir stretchers Johnny Walker!” halfway through the first round of the first fight of the main card. Everyone knew the explosive potential of the bout going into it, but the result and the way it played out still managed to be completely surprising. “No Time is back” declared Oezdemir. Indeed.

Performance Of The Night: Shara Magomedov

Despite being a short-notice replacement, Antonio Trocoli’s size and strength kept him in the heat of the action for most of the scheduled fifteen minutes, but the undefeated Shara “Bullet” Magomedov appears to be every bit of the unstoppable freight train he has been touted as, halting his opponent by vicious knockout late in the final frame.

Performance Of The Night: Felipe Lima

The first finish of the UFC Saudi Arabia prelims was fittingly the first win the UFC career of the young Brazilian Felipe Lima who made his short-notice UFC debut against an incredible game Muhammad Naimov who led on the scorecards before Lima saw his opening for the rear naked choke. 

“It was a rollercoaster,” said Lima, who only got the phone call on Monday to join the promotion. “But I’m very happy.”

UFC Fight Night: Perez vs Taira 

The UFC APEX was home to another action-packed event in Las Vegas as Flyweights Alex Perez and Tatsuro Taira put it all on the line in their main event clash. See which fighters stood out with their performances and earned some extra cash for their efforts.

Fight Card | Prelim ResultsMain Card Results | Official Scorecards

Tatsuro Taira of Japan punches Alex Perez in a flyweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at UFC APEX on June 15, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)
Tatsuro Taira of Japan punches Alex Perez in a flyweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at UFC APEX on June 15, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)

Fight Of The Night: Gabriella Fernandes vs Carli Judice

Gabriella Fernandes and Carli Judice went all out in their flyweight fight. 

Fernandes landed powerful strikes, while Judice focused on high volume. As the fight went on, Fernandes was low on gas, giving Judice an edge in the third round. The judges had a tough call, but Fernandes won by split decision, earning her first UFC win in three attempts and improving her record to 9-3.

Performance Of The Night Bonuses 

Performance Of The Night: Tatsuro Taira

This was a crucial performance for one of Japan's top representatives, Tatsuro Taira, who made the most of every moment. While maintaining Perez’s back position in the second, Taira off-balanced him, and as Perez fell, a knee injury forced an immediate stop to the fight.

This victory marks Taira's sixth consecutive UFC win and his 16th straight overall, solidifying his status as a rising star from Okinawa. After a dominant first main event and defeating a Top 5 fighter and former title challenger, Taira has firmly entered his name into the championship mix.

Performance Of The Night: Brady Hiestand

Brady Hiestand and Garrett Armfield had one of the most back and forth action-packed fights on the main card of UFC Fight Night: Perez vs Taira with "Bam Bam" getting the job done early in the third round.

Hiestand, a former Ultimate Fighter finalist, showed his grappling skills and toughness, surviving an armbar in the first round and a knockdown in the second. He dominated the latter half of the first round, threatening a rear-naked choke, and recovered well after being knocked down. At the start of the third round, Hiestand quickly secured a takedown, took Armfield's back, and finished with a choke. The 25-year-old once again impressed and is a rising star in the bantamweight division.

UFC Fight Night: Cannonier vs Imavov 

The Octagon finally made its return to Louisville, Ky and did not disappoint. Recap some of the standout performances from the KFC Yum! Center.

Fight Card | Prelim ResultsMain Card Results | Official Scorecards

Raul Rosas Jr. secures a rear choke submission against Ricky Turcios in a bantamweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at KFC YUM! Center on June 08, 2024 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC)
Raul Rosas Jr. secures a rear choke submission against Ricky Turcios in a bantamweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at KFC YUM! Center on June 08, 2024 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC)

Performance Of The Night Bonuses 

Performance Of The Night: Raul Rosas Jr. 

The youngest athlete on the UFC roster proved his worth once again, as the 19-year-old submitted TUF winner Ricky Turcios in the second round of their main card bout at UFC Fight Night: Cannonier vs. Imavov.

Turcios started strong in the first round, but Rosas Jr., focused on grappling, managed to take Turcios's back and secure his third submission in his fourth UFC appearance.

Performance Of The Night: Zachary Reese

Middleweight Zachary Reese made a statement just 0:20 seconds into the first round with a TKO victory over Julian Marquez.

Moments into the bout, Reese countered a low inside kick, driving Marquez to the fence. A swift series of follow-up blows forced referee Dan Miragliotta to step in, ending the fight. This marked a strong comeback for Reese after his debut loss in December.

Performance Of The Night: Brunno Ferreira

“The Hulk” lived up to his name tonight, securing a TKO victory against Dustin Stoltzfus and once again avoiding the scorecards. Ferreira, known for his powerful strikes, continues to be a formidable presence in the division. After some consistent back and forth the Brazilian not only claimed a win but also achieved the eighth spinning back elbow knockout in UFC history. Watching his evolution in the middleweight division will definitely be fascinating.

Performance Of The Night: Carlos Prates

What a finish from Carlos Prates!

In the opening round against Charles Radtke, Prates landed a back knee to Radtke's midsection, swiftly ending the fight and sending him to the canvas. This marks two finishes in two appearances for the skilled Brazilian welterweight, who has now achieved nine consecutive victories and looks like a promising addition to the 170-pound division.

Gross Total Revenue: $2,500,652 (Announced Live Gate)
Attendance: 19,578
Highest Grossing sporting event in KFC Yum! Center History
Highest Grossing U.S UFC Fight Night of all time

UFC 302: Makhachev vs Poirier 

The energy in Newark was high all fight week, but it really reached a fever pitch when the lights when down in Prudential Center. A sold-out crowd of fans and celebrities were on their feet for one of the most dramatic main events in recent memory, supported by a bevy of classic performances.

Fight Card | Prelim ResultsMain Card Results | Official Scorecards

 Islam Makhachev of Russia reacts after his submission victory against Dustin Poirier in the UFC lightweight championship fight during the UFC 302 event at Prudential Center on June 01, 2024 in Newark, New Jersey. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)
Islam Makhachev of Russia reacts after his submission victory against Dustin Poirier in the UFC lightweight championship fight during the UFC 302 event at Prudential Center on June 01, 2024 in Newark, New Jersey. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa)

Fight Of The Night: Islam Makhackev vs Dustin Poirier

As we get a little distance from this fight, the magnitude of it will start to sink in a little more. Are we in the midst of the greatest lightweight championship run of all time? Did we just watch the great Dustin Poirier fight for the last time?

It’s too much to contemplate on this beautiful evening in Newark, so we’ll just have to bask in the glow of an outstanding title fight that exemplified—over and over—why these two warriors will own a huge percentage of the UFC’s most memorable moments of this generation.

Performance Of The Night Bonuses 

Performance Of The Night: Islam Makhachev

That’s three straight title defenses and 14 straight wins overall for the great Islam Makhachev, who is now poised to become the most dominant lightweight champion in the history of the sport. Khabib Nurmagomedov beamed proudly from the champ’s corner as he watched his star pupil survive a game Dustin Poirier, and once again prove that Makhachev is a puzzle that can never quite be solved. The champ has been considering a run in the welterweight ranks, and watching him tonight, it’s hard to imagine who could stop him.

Performance Of The Night: Kevin Holland

He called himself the UFC’s “best gatekeeper” in his post-win speech, but Kevin Holland is far more than that. A pure menace across both the welterweight and (like tonight) middleweight divisions, tonight he showed off his largely unsung submission skills, locking Michal Oleksiejczuk into a positively gruesome first round armbar to the sheer delight of the Prudential Center crowd.

Attendance: 17,834 (Sold Out)

Gate: $7,255,040 (Highest grossing event in Prudential Center history)

UFC Fight Night: Barboza vs Murphy 

The Octagon returned to the UFC APEX for a solid night of fights. Featherweights Edson Barboza and Lerone Murphy headlined the event with the two 145-pound contenders putting it all on the line for 25-minutes. Before those two went to battle, these fighters punched in standout performances and earned some extra cash for their efforts.  

Fight Card | Prelim ResultsMain Card Results | Official Scorecards

Lerone Murphy of England and Edson Barboza of Brazil trade punches in a featherweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at UFC APEX on May 18, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)
erone Murphy of England and Edson Barboza of Brazil trade punches in a featherweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at UFC APEX on May 18, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)

Fight Of The Night: Edson Barboza vs Lerone Murphy

Have a day Lerone Murphy!

The Manchester native made good on his first UFC main event, putting on the best performance of his UFC career opposite of Edson Barboza. For 25 minutes Murphy put the pressure on Barboza, not giving the dangerous Brazilian striker a chance to get on the gas. Murphy survived a scare in the final moments of the first frame and flipped a switch in between rounds that put him in the driver’s seat for the remainder of the fight.

Murphy landed 220 significant strikes and scored four of his six takedowns to stifle Barboza. The durability of both fighters was impressive, and by the end of the fifth round there was no doubt – Lerone Murphy is a true player at featherweight.

Performance Of The Night Bonuses 

Performance Of The Night: Khaos Williams

During fight week Khaos Williams said he was capable of more than knocking people out, it’s just what happens when he fights, and it happened against at UFC Fight Night: Barboza vs Murphy.

90 seconds into his co-main event bout with Carlston Harris, the 30-year-old landed a right hook that put the lights out on Harris. It was a perfect knockout and the perfect statement for Williams to make as he angles his way to the welterweight rankings.

Performance Of The Night: Angela Hill

For years, Angela Hill has been working for an elusive UFC finish. Well, she finally got it and got it in the form of her first career submission win. In the second round Hill locked up a guillotine choke on Luana Pinheiro that forced the tap. It was a triumphant moment for the 39-year-old, who continues to prove that she absolutely deserves to be competing with the best strawweights in the world. With 25 UFC fights under her belt, and with back-to-back wins, Hill is in a prime position to make a run.

UFC Fight Night: Lewis vs Nascimento 

UFC's return to St. Louis was a successful one, boasting a combination with high-octane finishes and epic battles. Recap some of the best performances from Enterprise Center.

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Trey Waters punches Billy Ray Goff in a welterweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at Enterprise Center on May 11, 2024 in St Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC)
Trey Waters punches Billy Ray Goff in a welterweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at Enterprise Center on May 11, 2024 in St Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC)

Fight Of The Night: Billy Ray Goff vs Trey Waters

Watching the welterweight bout between Billy Ray Goff and Trey Waters was totally unpredictable.

Both guys wore their heart on their sleeve and went to battle and pushed themselves to the brink for 15 minutes. The fight could have been stopped on either side but neither man would completely fade. In the end, it was the power of Waters that made a difference, as "The Truth" damaged Goff on multiple occasions. The judges rewarded that and gave Waters his second UFC his win.

The Jacksonville, Florida native is now 2-0 in the UFC and with performances like this it won't be long until he's on the radar of every fight fan out there.

Performance Of The Night Bonuses 

Performance Of The Night: Carlos Ulberg

Carlos Ulberg only needed 12 seconds in St. Louis to notch his sixth consecutive victory.

No. 11 ranked Alonzo Menifield blitzed the City Kickboxing Product right off the horn, prompting a side step counter hook from Ulberg that landed right on the money. The shot took Menifield off balance and Ulberg poured on a couple more powerful strikes for good measure and got out of the bout without a scratch.

That's six wins in a row, with five finishes for the surging light heavyweight contender. Big things are ahead for Ulberg and it'll be interesting to see how he fits into the upper tier in the division going forward.

Performance Of The Night: Diego Ferreira

In June it'll be ten years since Diego Ferreira joined the UFC, and his veteran savvy continues to pay dividends. He faced a shiny prospect in Mateusz Rebecki and had adversity in the first round when he was dropped by Rebecki. But in the second round he flipped the tables completely, repeatedly hurting Rebecki and landing an impressive number of strikes. Rebecki was significantly beaten up by the end of the second and Ferreira put his foot on the gas in the final frame and didn't stop until the fight was called off with just nine seconds remaining.

Back to back great wins for Ferreira, who was a mainstay in the lightweight rankings before injuries and some losses took him out. He's now primed to get a fight with a ranked fighter in his next trip to the Octagon.

{Attendance: 15,960}
{Announced Live Gate: $2,470,197}
{Highest Grossing United States UFC Fight Night of all-time}

UFC 301: Pantoja vs Erceg 

The UFC's return to Rio de Janeiro did not disappoint. See which fighters stood out amongst the rest inside Farmasi Arena. 

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Michel Pereira of Brazil reacts after his victory against Ihor Potieria of Ukraine in a middleweight bout during the UFC 301 event at Farmasi Arena on May 04, 2024 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (Photo by Alexandre Loureiro/Zuffa LLC)
Michel Pereira of Brazil reacts after his victory against Ihor Potieria of Ukraine in a middleweight bout during the UFC 301 event at Farmasi Arena on May 04, 2024 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (Photo by Alexandre Loureiro/Zuffa LLC)

Performance Of The Night Bonuses 

Performance Of The Night: Alessandro Costa 

Alessandro Costa got the night started off strong for the Brazilians, earning a second round stoppage against Peru’s Kevin Borjas. Things went well for Costa in the first round, landing a handful for damaging jabs, something he carried into the second frame. He switched gears and starting throw a series of leg kicks that visibly hurt Borjas. It was all gas, no brakes as “Nono” starting landing a storm of jabs allowing him to leave the Octagon victorious. 

Performance Of The Night: Mauricio Ruffy 

The lightweight division has an exciting new fighter as Mauricio Ruffy put himself on the map in his UFC debut against Jamie Mullarkey. The Brazilian was dominant from the start, connecting on all cylinders as he carefully picked his shots and continued to put it on Mullarkey, forcing the ref to stop the fight at 4:42 of the first round. In his Octagon interview, he had a message to the champion Islam Makhachev, telling him to enjoy his days because ‘a new king is coming’. 

Performance Of The Night: Caio Borralho 

Caio Borralho continues to make a name for himself in the middleweight division, and he did so against Scotland’s Paul Craig in Rio on Saturday night. It was all Borralho throughout the first round and as things moved into the second, The Fighting Nerds product stung Craig, and continued to put the pressure on, throwing a clean left hand that sent “Bearjew” down and out. 

Performance Of The Night: Michel Pereira

It’s never a boring fight when Michel Pereira steps in the Octagon and that was no different tonight. Pereira wasted no time getting things started, hurting Potieira with a jab that sent him to the canvas. Things got even crazier from there as Pereira back flipped, landing on his opponent, and securing a guillotine that would force Potieira to tap. The win extends Pereira’s win streak to eight. 

Attendance: 14,514

UFC Fight Night: Nicolau vs Perez 

UFC APEX cards always deliver and this one was no different, delivering some epic moments and knockouts. See which ones were worthy of an extra $50,000. 

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Bogdan Guskov of Uzbekistan reacts after his victory against Ryan Spann in a light heavyweight bout during the UFC Fight Night event at UFC APEX on April 27, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)
Bogdan Guskov of Uzbekistan reacts after his victory against Ryan Spann in a light heavyweight bout during the UFC Fight Night event at UFC APEX on April 27, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)

Performance Of The Night Bonuses 

Performance Of The Night: Uroš Medić

Uroš Medić got back in the win column in a big way and kicked off the main card with some heat as he knocked out Tim Means in 2:09 into the first round. The welterweights spent the first few minutes feeling each other out, but once Means came forward and tried to do a level change, Medić clipped with a left uppercut that sent “The Dirty Bird” to the canvas. 

Performance Of The Night: Jhonata Diniz 

Jhonata Diniz made waves in his UFC debut and left with a performance to remember as he continued the string of knockouts inside the Octagon on Saturday night. The Brazilian faced a bit of adversity in the first round as Lane spent most of the round with him wrestling, but things quickly shifted in the second round. Three minutes into the second round, Diniz started landing huge blows to Lane’s chins, finally finding one that sent the heavyweight down and putting an end to the fight. 

Performance Of The Night: Bogdan Guskov 

The light heavyweight division has a new contender as Bodgan Guskov took out ranked contender Ryan Spann in the second round. The first round didn’t go as anticipated for Guskov, but heading into the second frame, he was able to find success after the two spent time throwing blows back and forth. Guskov threw a hook that connected with Spann, followed up by a few strikes, Herb Dean was forced to call the fight, moving Guskov’s record to 16-3. 

Performance Of The Night: Alex Perez 

Alex Perez is back in the win column and it couldn’t have come in a bigger way than in the main event spotlight against Brazil’s Matheus Nicolau. 

From the bell, Perez was on point, throwing combinations as Nicolau searched for his groove. The judges had Perez up on the scorecards heading into the second frame and he continued to put his foot on the gas, throwing a right hand that sent Nicolau’s legs buckling and forcing him. The flyweight was out to prove he still belongs with the best and he certainly did that tonight. 

UFC 300: Pereira vs Hill 

The expectations put upon UFC 300 were enormous—perhaps even hyperbolic—and, all things considered, the night delivered and perhaps exceeded them. With $300,000 bonuses on the line thanks to some goading from the athletes toward UFC CEO Dana White at the pre-fight press conference, each of the fighters came out with an added urgency. From the three title fights that ended the night to the championship-level fighters competing on the prelims, the athletes stepped up to the “Unrivaled Greatness” tag put on the event. 

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Max Holloway strikes Justin Gaethje in a lightweight fight during the UFC 300 event at T-Mobile Arena on April 13, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC)
Max Holloway strikes Justin Gaethje in a lightweight fight during the UFC 300 event at T-Mobile Arena on April 13, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC)

Fight of the Night: Justin Gaethje vs Max Holloway

The third-ever BMF title fight might have been the greatest edition yet as Max “Blessed” Holloway and Justin “The Highlight” Gaethje went toe-to-toe for 24 minutes and 59 seconds before delivering a raucous ending worthy of the moniker. 

Holloway got off to the better start in a measured first round despite receiving heavy leg kicks from Gaethje. At the end of the first, Holloway threw a spinning back kick, which landed on the face of the ducking Gaethje, likely breaking the BMF champion’s nose. Holloway remained in command for much of the next few rounds, but Gaethje gained some traction in the third and fourth. In the penultimate round, Gaethje had his best moment as he became the first man in the UFC to knock Holloway down. However, Holloway would get the last punch in when, with about 12 seconds on the clock, the Hawaiian pointed to the center of the Octagon, inviting Gaethje to slug it out. As the two went at it rock-em-sock-em style, Holloway cracked Gaethje with a right hand that put Gaethje to sleep with a second remaining, making Holloway the third BMF champion. 

Performance Of The Night Bonuses 

Performance Of The Night: Max Holloway

“Blessed” opened myriad doors for himself with his knockout win over Gaethje. He increased his case to challenge Ilia Topuria for the featherweight belt, and he also put himself in great position in the lightweight title picture. Championship aspirations aside, Holloway further cemented himself as one of the greatest to step into the Octagon. Although he told UFC.com’s McKenzie Pavacich that he would change the BMF acronym to stand for “Blessed Man Forever,” a knockout like that—likely the 2024 frontrunner for Knockout of the Year—had everyone calling him the Baddest Motherf*****.

Performance Of The Night: Jiří Procházka

With an eerie calm, Jiří Procházka put himself back in the light heavyweight title picture. The Czech brawler took some of Aleksandar Rakic’s best shots in the first round, including several heavy leg kicks, but Procházka kept pressuring, probing and picking his spots with accuracy. In the second round, he upped the ante, rocking Rakic midway through the round before pouncing on him and finishing him off violently. 

Gross total revenue: $16,508,823
Attendance: 20,867
3rd highest grossing event in UFC history

UFC Fight Night: Allen vs Curtis 2

An exciting nights of fights at UFC APEX brought some intense back-and-forth battles, including the main event middleweight bout between Brendan Allen and Chris Curtis.

See which performances stood out and were recognized by UFC brass.

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Fight of the Night: Chepe Mariscal vs Morgan Charriere

Chepe Mariscal and Morgan Charriere put on a heck of show for fight fans, as both featherweights kept their foot on the gas for fifteen minutes.

Each fighter displayed a variety of skills, creating a fun mixture of grappling scrambles and dynamic striking. Mariscal closed the distance to limit Charriere’s explosive attacks, in doing so he was able to have success and wear on Charriere over the course of 15 minutes.

The back-and-forth battle had all the elements of a razor close fight, but it was Mariscal’s cardio that came into play and likely earned him the split decision nod. At 3-0 in the UFC, Mariscal is quickly building a resume as an all-action fighter who gets the job done.

Performance Of The Night Bonuses 

Performance of the Night: Ignacio Bahamondes

Surging lightweight Ignacio Bahamondes got back in the win column and he did it in style.

The 26-year-old added to his highlight reel with a picture-perfect head kick knockout of Christos Giagos. The Chile born Bahamondes was looking on top of his game for the first few minutes of the fight, landing great kicks and controlling the striking exchanges. He waited for his moment and threw the head kick and that was all she wrote.

The big win for Bahamondes puts him in a great spot to showcase all the improvements he’s made to his game as he climbs closer to the Top 15.

Performance of the Night: Cesar Almeida

The combat sports career of Cesar Alemida makes him one of the more intriguing middleweight newcomers.

He showed that he’s more than just a kickboxer when he handled some early adversity against Dylan Budka. It was clear that Budka wasn’t interested in striking with Almeida and he had some early success taking Almeida down. In the second round, with his back up against the fence, Almeida started landing strikes while defending a takedown attempt from Budka. Those strikes hurt Budka and forced him drop to the canvas and cover up so Almeida poured on the strikes and got the knockout finish.

Great debut and Almeida remains an exciting new addition to the 185-pound division.

UFC Fight Night: Blanchfield vs Fiorot 

The Octagon returned to Atlantic City for the first time since in almost six years with New Jersey-bred contender in the main event as Erin Blanchfield and Manon Fiorot dueled with a title shot likely on the line. The fighters up and down the card brought the action for the East Coast crowd, delivering more than a few moments that set the arena on fire. On a night that tied the record for the most knockouts during a single event with eight, these fighters stood out from the crowd. 

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Ibo Aslan of Turkey punches Anton Turkalj of Sweden in a featherweight bout during the UFC Fight Night event at Boardwalk Hall Arena on March 30, 2024 in Atlantic City, New Jersey. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC)
Ibo Aslan of Turkey punches Anton Turkalj of Sweden in a featherweight bout during the UFC Fight Night event at Boardwalk Hall Arena on March 30, 2024 in Atlantic City, New Jersey. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC)

Fight of the Night: Anton Turkalj vs Ibo Aslan

In a rematch dating back to their days on the regional scene, Anton Turkalj and Ibo Aslan went to war much to the delight of the Atlantic City crowd. The back-and-forth was wild and chaotic at times with a handful of moments where both men just stood in the pocket and slugged it out. As they entered the third round, more of the same rock-em-sock-em action occurred, and it was a flush right hand from Aslan that finally sent Turkalj stumbling to the canvas. 

Aslan, a Dana White’s Contender Series alumnus, scored a debut win and avenged his lone professional loss.

Performance Of The Night Bonuses 

Performance Of The Night: Nate Landwehr

It was a classic performance from Nate “The Train.” After weathering an early storm from Jamall Emmers, Landwehr stood his ground and started tagging Emmers with his own shots. Maintaining his composure and utilizing sharp footwork to pressure Emmers against the octagon, Landwehr continued to bring the brawl to Emmers until a slick uppercut rocked his foe. A few ground strikes later, and Landwehr finally secured his first knockout finish in the Octagon. 

Performance Of The Night: Dennis Buzukja

Facing UFC debutant Connor Matthews, Dennis Buzukja pulled out his best performance in the Octagon to date. Buzukja stayed on the front foot for much of the first two rounds with slick striking and smart defensive movement. As Matthews tried to push the pace in the third round, Buzukja connected with a slick left hand that buzzed Matthews and gave Buzukja his first UFC win.

UFC Fight Night: Ribas vs Namajunas

For the second time in as many weekends, the Octagon landed in the UFC APEX for a solid night of fights. Rose Namajunas and Amanda Ribas headlined the affairs with the former strawweight champion besting the Brazilian over the course of five rounds. Before those two went to battle, these fighters punched in standout performances and earned some extra cash for their efforts.  

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Jarno Errens of The Netherlands punches Steven Nguyen in a featherweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at UFC APEX on March 23, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)
Jarno Errens of The Netherlands punches Steven Nguyen in a featherweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at UFC APEX on March 23, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)

Fight Of The Night: Jarno Errens vs Steven Nguyen

Jarno Errens earned his first UFC victory in his third try, besting debutant Steven Nguyen in a hard-fought, impressive 3-round war. 

Errens found his rhythm quickly, splitting Nguyen’s lip and staying ahead of the pace on the feet. The Dutchman found plenty of success getting to Nguyen’s legs, limiting the Fortis MMA product’s movement significantly. In the second round, Errens found a home for a big shot to score a knockdown and stayed on the front foot in the third despite a game effort from Nguyen toward the latter stages of the fight. 

Performance Of The Night Bonuses 

Performance Of The Night: Payton Talbott

Reno’s Payton Talbott scored the most impressive win of his career, scoring a 2nd-round knockout win over South African bantamweight prospect Cameron Saaiman. 

Talbott beat Saaiman up plenty early, including a big knee in the first round that put him on the front foot. From there, Talbott was in rhythm. He walked forward, picked his shots, varied his targets and moved with little concern for what Saaiman threw back toward him. In the second round, Talbott cracked Saaiman with a clean left hook and pounched on him to complete the finish.  

Performance Of The Night: Fernando Padilla

Fernando Padilla walked into the UFC APEX with a point to prove and made it emphatically to the tune of a 1st-round submission win over Luis Pajuelo. Padilla got an early knockdown with a slick left hand, which led to him taking control of his opponent on the ground. As the Peruvian worked back to his feet, Padilla locked in a standing D’arce choke to get the submission win .

UFC Fight Night: Tuivasa vs Tybura

The world leader in MMA hosted an another action-packed event in Las Vegas at the UFC APEX. See which fighters stood out with their performances at UFC Fight Night: Tuivasa vs Tybura.

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Marcin Tybura of Poland reacts after submitting Tai Tuivasa of Australia in their heavyweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at UFC APEX on March 16, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC)
Marcin Tybura of Poland reacts after submitting Tai Tuivasa of Australia in their heavyweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at UFC APEX on March 16, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC)

Performance Of The Night Bonuses 

Performance Of The Night: Jaqueline Amorim

With the extensive jiu jitsu background that Jaqueline Amorim has, it was only a matter of time until she locked up her first UFC submission.

The strawweight prospect went right to work against Cory McKenna – transitioning through a few submission attempts before finding the armbar early in the first round. Amorim’s submission was the fourth fasted in women’s strawweight history and it showcased just how talented Amorim is on the canvas.

Performance Of The Night: Jafel Filho

For the second fight in a row, Jafel Filho has put the flyweight division on notice.

Filho nearly submitted rising contender Muhammad Mokaev in his debut and then he succeeded in submitting Daniel Barez in his sophomore UFC appearance. At UFC Fight Night: Tuivasa vs Tybura he went back to the well against veteran Ode’ Osbourne.

Filho timed a shot and got Osbourne to the canvas. After that he just waited for Osbourne to make a mistake before sinking in a rear naked choke and forcing the tap. At this rate Filho will make himself one of the names to watch at 125-pounds.

Performance Of The Night: Macy Chiasson

Welcome back Macy Chiasson!

The bantamweight contender was away from the Octagon for a year and half and came back with a vengeance. Chiasson faced a familiar foe in Pannie Kianzad as the two fought almost six years ago on The Ultimate Fighter, with Chiasson winning by submission.

It was the same result at UFC Fight Night: Tuivasa vs Tybura. Chiasson took Kianzad to the floor and found the rear naked choke to get the win. It was an important win for Chiasson who is right back on track.

Performance Of The Night: Marcin Tybura

A heavyweight main event usually is a signal of banger fight and for as long as it lasted, that’s exactly what Tai Tuivasa vs Marcin Tybura was.

Tuivasa came out of the gate swinging, clipping Tybura with an elbow that opened up a cut on his head, but the Polish contender didn’t flinch. Tybura worked for a takedown and then started pouring strikes down on Tuivasa. When Tuivasa made an attempt to get of danger Tybura jumped on his neck and finished the fight.

It was the perfect bounce back performance for Tybura and keeps him right in the mix at the top tier of the heavyweight division.

UFC 299: O'Malley vs Vera 2 

The UFC's second trip to Miami in as many years was another incredible success, as the matchups in the 305 delivered everything that fight fans could ever ask for.

Recap some of the top performances from UFC 299: O'Malley vs Vera 2 and see which fighters took home bonus cash.

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Sean O'Malley knees Marlon Vera of Ecuador in the UFC bantamweight championship fight during the UFC 299 event at Kaseya Center on March 09, 2024 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)
Sean O'Malley knees Marlon Vera of Ecuador in the UFC bantamweight championship fight during the UFC 299 event at Kaseya Center on March 09, 2024 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)

Fight Of The Night: Dustin Poirier vs Benoît Saint Denis

Fans had this fight circled on their calendar from the moment it was announced and for good reason. Benoît Saint Denis entered the fight on a five-fight win streak and started the first frame of strong, pressuring Poirier and utilizing his wrestling and power throughout.

Poirier almost got to show his jiu-jitsu skills once again as he went for multiple guillotine attempts.But heading into the second round, “The Diamond” started to find success on the feet, as he dropped Saint Denis and followed up with a few punches on the canvas, forcing the referee to come in and stop the fight.

It was a high risk, high reward for Poirier who sits currently No. 3 in the lightweight division, compared to Saint Denis’ No. 12, but the “The Diamond” got back in the win column in a massive way inside the Kaseya Center.

Performance Of The Night Bonuses 

Performance Of The Night: Sean O'Malley

It truly was the “Suga” show in the 305.

Bantamweight champion Sean O’Malley defended his title in style, besting Marlon “Chito” Vera over the course of five rounds. O’Malley landed strikes from all angles for 25-minutes, with a second-round knee up the middle standing out as the hardest strike of the fight. Vera never gave up, pressing through the damage and through O’Malley wide variety of attacks.

This was the type of performance that fight fans needed to see from O’Malley who was in control from start to finish, but also showed how the champ would deal with someone as tough and resilient as Vera. The “Suga” era is just getting started.

Performance Of The Night: Jack Della Maddalena

Jack Della Maddalena with another finish for the highlight reel.

It was a back and forth battle between Della Maddalena and Gilbert Burns, with the Brazilian up on the scorecards heading into the second round. In the third round, the Australian escaped from a grappling exchange and as the two stood up he threw a knee that severely hurt Burns, sending him back toward the canvas. He followed up with several elbows with just over a minute left in the fight to get the job done.

This is a big win for Della Maddalena who looks to continue his rise in the welterweight division.

Performance Of The Night: Curtis Blaydes

The heavyweight clash between Curtis Blaydes and Jailton Almeida was the ultimate test to see which top 10 heavyweight had the better grappling – and in the first round it was all Almeida.

And when Almeida went back to the well at the beginning of the first round Blaydes made him pay for it. Blaydes landed a short uppercut on Almeida’s entry and then followed up with a series of furious hammerfists which planted Almeida to the canvas and put a sudden end to the bout.

It was an important bounce-back win for Blaydes, who proved once again that he’s one of the best heavyweights in the world for a reason.

Performance Of The Night: Michel Pereira

Michel Pereira continues to shine at middleweight, as he extended his win streak to seven in a row with his performance at UFC 299.

Before we talk about Pereira's win, we have to discuss the walk out. It was a coordinated effort that saw Pereira bust a move before he delivered one of his best performances to date. Pereira hit the body of Michal Oleksiejczuk, forcing him to retreat, and that's when Pereira put his foot on the gas and went after Oleksiejczuk's neck. Pereira wrapped up the rear naked choke submission in 61 seconds.

Big things are on the horizon for Pereira, but "Demolidor" wants to fight in Brazil his next time out - maybe at UFC 301 in Rio de Janeiro.

Performance Of The Night: Robelis Despaigne

What a debut for Robelis Despaigne.

The heavyweight newcomer had a reputation for finishing his fights quickly and he lived up to that reputation against Josh Parisian. Wildly swinging and retreating after a slip, "The Big Boy" caught Parisian with a strike that put him to floor. He added a follow up strike before the ref stepped in to stop the fight. 19 seconds.

The performance instantly makes Robelis must see TV in the heavyweight division.

 

Attendance: 19,165 (Sold Out)

Gross Total Revenue: $14,142,904 (Announced Live Gate)

*Highest grossing event at Kaseya Center of all-time

**4th highest grossing UFC event of all-time

UFC Fight Night: Rozenstruik vs Gaziev 

The prelims delivered some unforgettable moments, followed by jawdropping action on the main card, another Saturday at the UFC APEX did not disappoint. See who shined bright in Las Vegas. 

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Vinicius Oliveira of Brazil punches Benardo Sopaj of Albania in a bantamweight bout during the UFC Fight Night event at UFC APEX on March 02, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC)
Vinicius Oliveira of Brazil punches Benardo Sopaj of Albania in a bantamweight bout during the UFC Fight Night event at UFC APEX on March 02, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC)

Fight Of The Night: Vinicius Oliveira vs Benardo Sopaj 

Two fighters walking to the Octagon for the first time tonight made an incredible first impression, as Vinicius Oliveira knocked out Benardo Sopaj with a flying knee late in the third round. 

The two debutants went back and forth in the opening round, with the first round going to Sopaj who found more success. Sopaj kept things going into the second round, but Oliveira started to find his groove, wearing down the 23-year-old into the final frame. With under a minute left to go, Oliveira threw a flying knee that put Sopaj on the canvas, giving us an early Knockout of the Year candidate. 

Oliveira also won a Performance of the Night bonus tonight, leaving the APEX with $100,000 in his pocket. 

Performance Of The Night Bonuses 

Performance Of The Night: Steve Erceg

Steve Erceg secured his third UFC win in a row, defeating his biggest test to date in a big way. Erceg and Matt Schnell exchanged a handful of punches in the first frame, with the Australian getting the nod from the judges after five rounds. 

The action continued in the second round, as “Astroboy” threw a left hook that sent Schnell to the canvas, leaving him with his hand raised. Erceg currently sits at No. 12 in the rankings, with Schnell at No. 9, meaning his jaw dropping victory tonight could very well push him to the top 10. 

UFC Fight Night: Moreno vs Royval 2 

Brian Ortega stands in his corner before facing Yair Rodriguez of Mexico in a featherweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at Arena CDMX on February 24, 2024 in Mexico City, Mexico. (Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC)
Brian Ortega stands in his corner before facing Yair Rodriguez of Mexico in a featherweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at Arena CDMX on February 24, 2024 in Mexico City, Mexico. (Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC)

UFC's return to Mexico City, Mexico provided fight fans with an exciting night of fights. With 13 fighters of Mexican descent competing, there were plenty of highs for the crowd at Arena CDMX. Here's the fighters who shined extra bright on Mexican soil.

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Fight Of The Night: Daniel Zellhuber vs Francisco Prado

Daniel Zellhuber has been one of most intriguing prospects coming out of the lightweight division for a while, and he showcased why against Francisco Prado at UFC Mexico City.

For 15 minutes "Golden Boy" was a sniper, picking a relentless Prado apart. Zellhuber busted up Prado pretty bad with his counter strikes and his combinations but Prado never stopped pushing forward and looking for the knockout. The combination of Zellhuber's striking prowess and Prado's toughness made for a high-quality battle that had fight fans everywhere appreciate the work of both lightweights.

Zellhuber got the unanimous decision win with the performance and puts himself in a great position to take a step up the 155-pound ladder his next time out.

Performance Of The Night Bonuses 

Performance Of The Night: Brian Ortega

"T-City" is finally back in the win column.

Brian Ortega has waited a long time to get back into the Octagon after suffering an injury against Yair Rodriguez in 2022. He made the most of his second chance versus Rodriguez, pushing through an excellent first round by the former interim champion. Then in the second Ortega utilized his grappling to take over the fight and dominate Rodriguez for basically the entire second frame.

He went back to the well at the beginning of the third, taking Rodriguez down and transitioning into full-mount. He quickly hopped on an arm triangle that forced the tap from Rodriguez. It was a beautiful sequence and showed everyone that Ortega still has that championship heart and ability. The win comes at a perfect time with the featherweight division going through a transition and with the division in the spotlight.

Performance Of The Night: Manuel Torres

If people don't know who Manuel Torres is at this point they may want to do some research.

The Mexican lightweight means business every time he competes, and most of the time he finishes his fights in the first round. That was the case at UFC Mexico City when he hurt Chris Duncan and then submitted him with a rear naked choke. The win solidifies "El Loco" as another exciting prospect coming out of Mexico.

[Attendance - 21,546 sold out]

UFC 298: Volkanovski vs Topuria 

UFC's second PPV event of 2024 was an incredible one, with Ilia Topuria breaking through and claiming the UFC featherweight championship with a stunning knockout win over Alexander Volkanovski. Elsewhere on the card there were back-and-forth battles and other bonus worth performances.

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Ilia Topuria of Spain celebrates after his knockout victory against Alexander Volkanovski of Australia in the UFC featherweight championship fight during the UFC 298 event at Honda Center on February 17, 2024 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Zuffa LLC)
Ilia Topuria of Spain celebrates after his knockout victory against Alexander Volkanovski of Australia in the UFC featherweight championship fight during the UFC 298 event at Honda Center on February 17, 2024 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Cooper Nei

Fight Of The Night: Amanda Lemos vs Mackenzie Dern

The featured prelim was a wild one, as Brazilian strawweights shined in a 15-minute battle.

The first round was a tale of two styles, as Amanda Lemos found great success on the feet until Mackenzie Dern a was able to get the fight to the canvas. It was a very close round and prompted Lemos to turn things up in the second frame.

Lemos landed a picture-perfect straight right as Dern entered and dropped the submission ace to the floor. Lemos pressed the action and connected with another strike that dropped Dern again, this time forcing her to shell up. The fight was nearly stopped but Dern showed next-level toughness to hang on and push the fight to the third.

Beat-up but far from out, Dern got the Anaheim crowd on their feet and fought her heart out for the last five minutes. She was able to get the fight to the floor and gain some control time and have her best round of the fight, but Lemos’ big first two rounds were too much to overcome. It was a great fight and shows just how great the strawweight division is.

Performance Of The Night Bonuses 

Performance Of The Night: Ilia Topuria

It doesn’t get any better than what Ilia Topuria accomplished tonight.

Topuria took his time and found the hole he needed to exploit in Alexander Volkanovski’s game. Volk had success in the first round and was picking away at Topuria for most of the third then out of nowhere Topuria rushed the longtime champion.

Topuria’s furious combo was capped off with a right-hand right on the button and put Volkanovski out up against the fence. It was shocking to everyone in Honda Center except Topuria. He was confident this would happen and he believed he would knock him out in the second round. Job done.

Topuria became the fifth featherweight UFC champion in history with the win and brings the belt back to Spain and Georgia.

Performance Of The Night: Anthony Hernandez

Fluffy” needs to get the recognition he deserves. The middleweight contender has won five straight fights and he’s done them in impressive fashion.

Anthony Hernandez accepted a dangerous fight with knockout artist Roman Kopylov and he turned in a trademark performance. It was gritty and it was relentless, and eventually he was able to work his way into a favorable position and choke out Kopylov.

Only big things are on the horizon for the No. 15 ranked Hernandez who certainly earned the chance to fight up in the rankings his next time out.

Performance Of The Night: Zhang Mingyang

We saw a brief glimpse of Zhang Mingyang’s power when he fought on Road To UFC back in 2022. Well now we’ve had a full introduction to just how fun it is to watch the light heavyweight from China compete in the Octagon.

Zhang’s debut came against Brendson Ribeiro, who looked incredible on Dana White’s Contender Series. The two went toe-to-toe until someone was knocked out and it was Zhang who emerged from the battle victorious. With the win he became the first fighter from China to win a fight in a weight class of light heavyweight or higher.

Attendance - 18,186

Announced Live Gate - $7,264,734

Highest Grossing Live Event At Honda Center

Highest Grossing MMA Event In California History

UFC Fight Night: Hermansson vs Pyfer 

The night before the big game kicked off at Allegiant Stadium, the best action in Las Vegas took place inside the UFC APEX, with a six-fight main card filled with middleweight matchups and capped by a classic “veteran versus prospect” battle between Jack Hermansson and Joe Pyfer.

Fight Card | Prelim Results | Main Card Results | Official Scorecards

Dan Ige reacts after his knockout victory against Andre Fili in a featherweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at UFC APEX on February 10, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC)
Dan Ige reacts after his knockout victory against Andre Fili in a featherweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at UFC APEX on February 10, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC)

Performance Of The Night Bonuses 

Performance Of The Night: Bogdan Guskov  

Light heavyweight Bogdan Gustov earned his first UFC victory in-style, knocking out TUF alumni Zac Pauga.

Early in the first round the Uzbekistan native fired off a lightning quick combination that closed the show. It was the perfect way for Guskov to bounce back after coming off short in his UFC debut. With plenty of power and technique to boot, Guskov has his sights on a bright 2024.

Performance Of The Night: Carlos Prates 

Coming into UFC Fight Night: Hermansson vs Pyfer, prospect Carlos Prates looked to be one of the bright stars coming off of Dana White’s Contender Series. He backed up the hype with a walk off knockout over respected veteran Trevin Giles. 

Although it took Prates some time to get going there's no denying that the Brazilian welterweight has all the skill to be a contender in the division. It’ll be interesting to see what’s next for the Fighting Nerds athlete as he looks to have a stellar rookie campaign.

Performance Of The Night: Rodolfo Vieira 

Known for his submission skills, middleweight Rodolfo Vieira came in and showed exactly why people rave about his ground game. Once he was able to get Armen Petrosyan to the ground he was lights out and sunk in an arm triangle submission as time expired in the first round. 

That makes back-to-back arm triangle submission wins for Vieira, as well as back-to-back Performance of the Night bonuses. Vieira is now tied for the 3rd most submission wins in UFC middleweight history with five. He is also in sole possession of the most arm triangle choke submissions in UFC history. 

Vieira has never had a three fight win streak in the UFC and looks to make that happen in 2024.

Performance Of The Night: Dan Ige 

Coming off a tough decision loss to Bryce Mitchell featherweight stalwart Dan Ige defended his place in the rankings against Andre Fili. It was a weird matchup for Ige, who considers Fili a friend, but that didn’t hold him back in the co-main event of UFC Fight Night: Hermansson vs Pyfer.

Ige delivered a stunning first round knockout reminding everyone why they used to call him “Dynamite Dan.” In his octagon interview Ige revealed that he and his wife were expecting a new baby at any moment. 

With a new baby on the way and back in the win column 50,000 thousand dollars is just the cherry on top.

UFC Fight Night: Dolidze vs Imavov

The second fight card of 2024 to take place in the UFC APEX delivered some important results for the leader in mixed martial arts.

There was just a little bit of everything at UFC Fight Night: Dolidze vs Imavov, solid back-and-forth fights, submissions, knockouts and controversy. Here were the fighters and fights that shined.

Fight Card | Prelim Results | Main Card Results | Official Scorecards

Charles Johnson punches Azat Maksum of Kazakstan in a flyweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at UFC APEX on February 03, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)
Charles Johnson punches Azat Maksum of Kazakstan in a flyweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at UFC APEX on February 03, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)

Fight Of The Night: Azat Maksum vs Charles Johnson

If you only watched the first minute of the flyweight bout between Azat Maksum and Charles Johnson, you might not know why this clash earned Fight of the Night.

Maksum started out looking flawless – just as he’s been throughout his mixed martial arts career. He dropped Johnson multiple times and had the UFC vet on his heels. But between the first and second round, Johnson tapped into his “Inner G” and started working his game. He pushed Maksum and was the busier fighter in the second frame. In the third Johnson had completely turned the tables on Maksum, he hurt him a few times and nearly had him out with a ninja choke before pouring it on as time expired.

It was one heck of a comeback win for Johnson who took a big risk with this fight, which paid off in a big way.

Performance Of The Night Bonuses 

Performance Of The Night: Molly McCann

Strawweight Molly McCann is here, and she looked phenomenal at 115-pounds.

Meatball” happily accepted a rematch with Diana Belbita, as both wanted to find their footing to kick off 2024. McCann stayed true to her aggressive style and pushed the issue from the beginning – connecting with some power strikes that got Belbita’s attention.

At the end of the round McCann took Belbita down and transitioned into a lightning quick armbar. It forced the tap the tap before the buzzer sounded to end round one and just like that, McCann was back in the win column.

It was a great win and showed how seriously McCann has worked on her game and her mentality. Attacking her weaknesses and moving to the proper weight class has McCann moving in the right direction.

Performance Of The Night: Randy Brown

Randy Brown has been looking a highlight reel knockout for quite a while, and he final got what he was looking for against Muslim Salikhov.

Rudeboy” heard his coach point something out early in the first-round while standing across from Salikhov. He downloaded the data and waited for his chance to strike, and then landed a picture-perfect one-two down the pipe that put “The King of Kung-Fu” out of business.

Brown’s win put his win streak at two and will likely put him back in contention to fight in or near the welterweight rankings the next time he walks to the Octagon.

UFC 297: Strickland vs Du Plessis 

Dricus Du Plessis of South Africa punches Sean Strickland in a UFC middleweight championship bout during the UFC 297 event at Scotiabank Arena on January 20, 2024 in Toronto, Ontario. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC)
Dricus Du Plessis of South Africa punches Sean Strickland in a UFC middleweight championship bout during the UFC 297 event at Scotiabank Arena on January 20, 2024 in Toronto, Ontario. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC)

The first pay-per-view of 2024 saw the Octagon return to Toronto for the first time since December 2018 and featured nine Canadians as well as a pair of title fights. Dricus Du Plessis became South Africa’s first champion with a split decision defeat of Sean Strickland, and Raquel Pennington outhustled Mayra Bueno Silva to claim the vacant bantamweight crown. Throughout the rest of the card, hotly contested fights decorated the card, including a meaningful featherweight contest between Movsar Evloev and a classic comeback effort from Neil Magny.

Fight CardFinal Results | Official Scorecards

Fight of the Night: Sean Strickland vs Dricus Du Plessis

South Africa got its first champion as Dricus Du Plessis battled Sean Strickland and got the split decision nod. The first round looked like a classic Strickland fight as the champ landed his jab at will, but Du Plessis saw success as well and mixed in grappling with great success. Although Du Plessis seemed to struggle finding his range, he consistently landed high kicks and body kicks until finally scoring with his hands. Eventually, Du Plessis gave Strickland a nasty cut on his left eye that seemed to bother the champion, but Strickland still bounced back to win the fifth round on all the judges’ scorecards. Du Plessis did enough, however, in the middle trio of rounds to get the decision and showed he can very much implement his awkward style at the highest level over the course of five rounds. 

Performance Of The Night Bonuses 

Performance Of The Night: Gillian Robertson

“Savage” put her grappling on display once again against Polyana Viana culminating in a nonstop, ground-and-pound finish in the second round. Viana had the speed advantage on the feet, but Robertson skillfully navigated the danger, changed levels and got the fight to the ground. After fishing for submissions, Robertson threw caution to the wind and unleashed an onslaught of ground strikes that earned the stoppage. The TKO was Robertson’s second, her first also coming in her native Canada at UFC 240.

Performance Of The Night: Jasmine Jasudavicius

Jasudavicius scored the first win of the night for Canada with a relentless and dominant performance ending in an anaconda choke submission in the third round over Priscila Cachoeira. In each round, Jasudavicius relatively manhandled “Zombie Girl” and breathlessly poured on the strikes. To call the fight one-way traffic is an understatement, and it was just the performance she needed after dropping her last fight. The result makes two wins in two for her in her native Canada as well.

Gross Total Revenue: USD: $7,898,695; CAD: $10,634,408 (Announced Live Gate)

Attendance: 18,559*Sold Out*

Highest grossing live event at Scotiabank Arena, UFC highest grossing arena event in Canada

UFC Fight Night: Ankalaev vs Walker 2 

Magomed Ankalaev of Russia knocks out Johnny Walker of Brazil in a light heavyweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at UFC APEX on January 13, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)
Magomed Ankalaev of Russia knocks out Johnny Walker of Brazil in a light heavyweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at UFC APEX on January 13, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)

UFC welcomed 2024 with an action-packed, highlight-loaded affair at the UFC APEX in Las Vegas. Light heavyweight contenders Magomed Ankalaev and Johnny Walker collided to settle their score, while Jim Miller added to his record breaking UFC career against Gabriel Benitez. The card was also stacked with newcomers, prospects, and veterans trying to make good on their goals for the year.

Fight CardFinal Results | Official Scorecards

Performance Of The Night Bonuses 

Performance Of The Night: Magomed Ankalaev

Light heavyweight contenders Magomed Ankalaev and Johnny Walker ran it back after a bizzare ending to their UFC 294 bout last year and there was nothing controversial about the way this once concluded.

In the second round Ankalaev connected with a powerful strike that sent Walker tumbling back to the Octagon fence. Ankalaev’s follow up strike was a pin-point strike that instantly damaged Walker. Referee Marc Goddard stepped in right after the strike and the score was settled.

It was a key win for Ankalaev, who is trying to reestablish himself as the next fighter to fight for the light heavyweight title held by Alex Pereira.

Performance Of The Night: Jim Miller

What else would you expect from the one and only Jim Miller than a vintage performance that was grimy and ended with his hand raised. Miller had a game opponent in Gabriel Benitez and the two weren’t afraid to stand and exchange.

After some toe-to-toe combat Miller went to his bread and butter and took the fight to ground in the third frame. Miller wrapped up Benitez neck and cranked until the vet tapped. It was Miller’s 26th UFC victory – extending his record for most UFC wins. His 18 finishes are second only to former lightweight champion Charles Oliveira.

Expect to see Miller next at UFC 300, where he will completely the holy trinity of competing on UFC 100, UFC 200, and UFC 300.

Performance Of The Night: Marcus McGhee

Bantamweights need to have Marcus McGhee on the radar.

The 33-year-old who trains out of Arizona stepped up his game at UFC Fight Night: Ankalaev vs Walker 2 when he beat decorated striker Gaston Bolaños at his own game. McGhee stood in the center and traded strikes with Bolaños and hurt him on multiple occasions in the second round.

After softening up Bolaños even more he dropped him with a straight shot and then was on the hunt. He threw a spinning kick and then overwhelmed Bolaños with ground and pound before the ref called it.

The TKO win puts McGhee at 3-0 in the UFC and with three finishes. Big things are on the horizon for “The Maniac” in 2024.

Performance Of The Night: Brunno Ferreira

Anytime a resume shows that a fighter has a 100% finish rate, you know he’s going to bring it. You can also tell when a fighter has the nickname “The Hulk” that he’s got real power.

That’s exactly what Brunno Ferreira has shown in his UFC fights so far, and although he suffered his first professional loss before his fight with Phil Hawes, he knew he could still rely on his power. Late in the first round Ferreira landed a power shot that put Hawes out cold and put the Brazilian middleweight prospect on the map as a real threat anytime he’s wearing 4. oz gloves.

It’ll be interesting to see what’s next for him, but whatever it is, you can guarantee he’s planning on smashing all expectations.

UFC 297: Strickland vs Du Plessis took place live from Scotiabank Arena in Toronto on January 20, 2024. See the Final Results, Official Scorecards and Who Won Bonuses - and relive the action on UFC Fight Pass