The UFC handed out four bonuses after Saturday’s card in Las Vegas, including one to a headliner who looked unstoppable.
After UFC on ESPN 72, four fighters picked up an extra $50,000 for their performances at the UFC Apex. Check out the winners below.
Performance of the Night: Joselyne Edwards
The first eight fights in Joselyne Edwards’ UFC career were decisions. Lately, she’s a different fighter. Edwards (16-6 MMA, 7-4 UFC) picked up her third straight stoppage win when she took out Priscila Cachoeira (13-7 MMA, 5-7 UFC) with a brutal knockout combination. Cachoeira had been keeping her hands down and Edwards made her pay in a big way for the first bonus of her career.
Performance of the Night: Elijah Smith
Elijah Smith (9-1 MMA, 2-0 UFC) delivered one of the scariest knockouts in recent memory when he slammed Toshiomi Kazama (11-5 MMA, 1-3 UFC) onto the back of his head and neck in the first round on the prelims. Kazama was holding on to a choke, and Smith slammed his way out and right into a devastating win. Kazama was out for a while and had to be transported to a hospital, where he eventually was given the all clear.
Performance of the Night: Christian Leroy Duncan
Christian Leroy Duncan (12-2 MMA, 5-2 UFC) had a couple early issues against Eryk Anders (17-9 MMA, 9-9 UFC) when he caught him in the eye, then hit him with a low blow. But after he settled down, Duncan went to work putting Anders away with a feverish assault.
Performance of the Night: Anthony Hernandez
Anthony Hernandez (15-2 MMA, 9-2 UFC) made Roman Dolidze (15-4 MMA, 9-4 UFC) look positively outclassed in the middleweight main event. “Fluffy” at times seemed to be able to ragdoll Dolidze around the cage, particularly at the end when he had a standing rear-naked choke – and started dragging Dolidze with it while he quickly got the tap. Hernandez said he wants a title shot next, or at minimum a “BMF” title fight at 185 pounds.
