Following last night’s UFC 215 event the recipients of the evening’s $50,000 bonus awards were announced.
Earning ‘Fight Of The Night’ honors was the pay-per-view opening scrap between Jeremy Stephens and Gilbert Melendez.
The story of the fight was undoubtedly Stephens nasty low leg kicks, which started to tear up Melendez’s lead limb from the opening minutes of the fight, leaving it lumped up and firey red even before the end of the first round.
It only got worse for Melendez in the rounds that followed as Stephens persisted with the same strategy, but despite collapsing to the mat multiple times over the 15 minute encounter, he refused to quit and stayed active enough to keep the ref from ending the bout before the final bell and the inevitable unanimous decision victory for ‘Lil’ Heathen.’
Former lightweight champion Rafael dos Anjos scooped up one of two ‘Performance Of The Night’ bonuses after a very impressive showing against Neil Magny.
RDA began pressing the action early on the feet and then took his opponent to the floor, smoothly passing guard and then sinking in a fight-ending arm triangle choke to put everyone on notice that he is going to be a major player at 170lbs.
Henry Cejudo also appeared to be in top form last night and received a well earned performance bonus as he showcased his evolving striking game against Wilson Reis.
Cejudo looked razor-sharp on the feet and posed lots of problems for Reis in the opening round, then floored him early in the second with a clean right hand and sealed his KO victory with a short burst of ground and pound strikes.
