The Ultimate Fighting Championship was in a particularly giving mood after a memorable night in Texas. It was a night to remember in the Lonestar State, no doubt about it.
A whopping $500,000 in bonus money was distributed to the athletes who participated in UFC on ESPN 52. This event took place in Austin, Texas, on a recent Saturday night.
Included in this hefty sum were $50,000 “Performance of the Night” checks. These were handed out to eight fighters who managed to secure finishes. Among the recipients were Arman Tsarukyan, Jalin Turner, Sean Brady, Dustin Stoltzfus, Miesha Tate, Cody Brundage, Drakkar Klose, and Jared Gooden. Quite a list, huh?
Brundage and Klose made a particular splash that night. They made history by becoming the first two fighters in UFC history to win bouts via slam KO on the same card. Talk about making a statement!
Tsarukyan also had a standout performance. He stopped Beneil Dariush in just 64 seconds in the evening’s lightweight headliner. Turner wasn’t far behind, dispatching Bobby Green 2:49 into the opening stanza of their 155-pound co-main event.
But not all finishers received a “Performance of the Night” check. Rodolfo Bellato didn’t get one, but that’s because he shared “Fight of the Night” honors with his opponent, Ihor Potieria. Their back-and-forth light heavyweight clash was a sight to behold.
Bellato nearly lost to his Ukrainian opponent. But he rallied and managed to stop Potieria with a barrage of offense from mount at the 4:17 mark of Round 2. What a comeback!