Following last night’s UFC On ESPN 72 event the recipients of the evening’s $50,000 bonus awards were announced.
On this occasion four ‘Performance Of The Night’ bonuses were dished out, including one for main event winner Anthony Hernandez, who made a big statement by completely dominating Roman Dolidze from start to finish.
Hernandez showed a willingness to strike with Dolidze and pushed a high pace in the process, but it was his effortless ability to get takedowns and trademark tireless grappling that soon began to wear on his opponent. By the fourth round Hernandez was essentially just manhandling the very tired Dolidze, and then put him out of his misery by seizing on a standing rear-naked choke, forcing a swift tap-out.
Another main card fighter Christian Leroy Duncan also earned a performance bonus after he finished Eryk Anders in some style mid-way in the first round by landing a few low kicks and then suddenly stepping into a spinning elbow that connected and rocked his opponent. CLD then capitalized on that with two big right hands that slumped Anders to the canvas for a TKO finish.
On the preliminary card Joselyne Edwards bonus came about after she punished Priscila Cachoeira’s aggression and lack of defense with counter-strikes, leading to her landing an uppercut followed by a hook that knocked her out mid-way through the first round.
And one of the most brutal knockouts of the year so far earned Elijah Smith a bonus too after he countered a triangle choke attack from Toshiomi Kazama by hoisting him up and slamming him to the mat in the most violent way possible, knocking him out cold, then landing a couple more unnecessary blows before the ref could stop the fight. Worryingly, Kazama remained unconscious for several minutes afterwards, but did eventually come too.
