logo
UFC on ESPN 66 bonuses include some of year's best finishes so far

UFC on ESPN 66 bonuses include some of year's best finishes so far

USA Today27-04-2025
UFC on ESPN 66 bonuses include some of year's best finishes so far
The UFC handed out four bonuses after Saturday's card, including to some of the biggest highlight-reel moments of the year so far.
After UFC on ESPN 66, four fighters picked up an extra $50,000 for their performances in Kansas City, Mo. Check out the winners below.
Fight of the Night: Randy Brown
Randy Brown def. Nicolas Dalby via knockout (punch) – Round 2, 1:39https://x.com/UFCNews/status/1916320028330283491
Fight of the Night: Nicolas Dalby
Randy Brown def. Nicolas Dalby via knockout (punch) – Round 2, 1:39
Performance of the Night: Zhang Mingyang
Zhang Mingyang def. Anthony Smith via TKO (elbows) – Round 1, 4:03https://x.com/UFCEurope/status/1916334233099882864
Performance of the Night: Malcolm Wellmaker
Malcolm Wellmaker def. Cameron Saaiman via knockout (punch) – Round 1, 1:59https://x.com/UFCNews/status/1916278505328779424
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Business-like Aaron Pico focused on long-awaited UFC debut – with eye on Alex Volkanovski
Business-like Aaron Pico focused on long-awaited UFC debut – with eye on Alex Volkanovski

USA Today

time6 minutes ago

  • USA Today

Business-like Aaron Pico focused on long-awaited UFC debut – with eye on Alex Volkanovski

CHICAGO – Ever since Aaron Pico signed with Bellator as a 17-year-old blue-chip prospect in 2014, it seemed inevitable that he would one day fight in the UFC. That day comes Saturday at UFC 319 (pay-per-view, ESPN, ESPN+) from United Center, where Pico takes on undefeated Lerone Murphy in the featherweight co-main event. It's been a long time coming for Pico, who is focused on keeping a level head during his first UFC fight week. "It's been amazing, finding a balance of telling myself, 'Wow, it's so surreal to be here finally,'" Pico told reporters, including MMA Junkie, during Wednesday's UFC 319 media day. "After all the years of ups and downs to be in a place where I've always wanted to be, I'm just really enjoying it and taking it all in." After an acrimonious departure from the PFL, which released Pico upon his request, he signed with the UFC in April. Originally booked to fight top-ranked Movsar Evloev on July 26 in Abu Dhabi, the fight fell off after Evloev was forced to withdraw. Pico said he "didn't get too worried" about what would come next after receiving assurances from UFC executive Hunter Campbell, so he remained strict with his diet and training, even as things were in limbo. In the end, Pico believes an even better version of himself will emerge in his UFC debut. "I'm glad I'm fighting August 16th, because I'm in even better shape now than I was for the Abu Dhabi card," Pico said. Pico will enter UFC 319 having won eight of his past nine fights, with his lone defeat coming by way of a shoulder injury suffered in the first round against Jeremy Kennedy in 2022. Even though his opponent is no longer Evloev, who's No. 1 in the official UFC featherweight rankings, Pico recognizes that he still has a great opportunity to make a splash against No. 6 Murphy, who's riding an eight-fight winning streak and whose only career blemish is a 2019 split draw. "He's 16-0 for a reason, undefeated in the UFC. He's fought some really tough guys," Pico said. "My team and I have our work cut out for us for Saturday, and I'm not coming in here taking him lightly. … I'm ready for this moment. I just have to do my job Saturday and take care of business." If that happens, Pico plans on aiming as high as he can, saying he'd want a showdown with Alexander Volkanovski, whose attention Pico got after saying he could knock out the UFC's reigning 145-pound champion. While Pico is confident in that prediction, he's not trying to get too ahead of himself. "I'm the new guy in this organization, and I'm just gonna be upfront: To have his attention, that's a good thing," Pico said. "But I have to take care of Lerone Murphy. That's all I'm focused on. But Volkanovski has it coming. Yeah, he's not an easy guy to fight, and I'm aware of that. I look at who he's fought in terms of high-level wrestlers, and he's never fought a high-level wrestler like me. (His) time is coming."

Hands down? Kai Asakura promises to knock out Tim Elliott if he does it at UFC 319
Hands down? Kai Asakura promises to knock out Tim Elliott if he does it at UFC 319

USA Today

timean hour ago

  • USA Today

Hands down? Kai Asakura promises to knock out Tim Elliott if he does it at UFC 319

CHICAGO – UFC 319 will be Take 2 for Kai Asakura. A former RIZIN star and champion, Askaura (21-5 MMA, 0-1 UFC) made the rare move of debuting in a UFC title fight this past December. He was submitted by champion Alexandre Pantoja at UFC 310 in Round 2. Saturday, he makes his return vs. Tim Elliott at United Center. "I wanted to return sooner, but I used this time to improve and deal with my weaknesses," Asakura told MMA Junkie and other reporters through a Japanese-language interpreter at a pre-fight news conference Wednesday. "I'm more than ready and I'm here. ... Last match was my first time, so I was not really getting used to how UFC style works. But I have experienced it now. I'm all ready and I'm here to return." Asakura, 31, said the only thing that really caught him off guard in his UFC debut was the fight surface. Japan has a long history of using rings rather than cages, and Asakura said that was noticeable vs. Pantoja. "Nothing really shocking, but I was so used to fighting in the ring," Asakura said. "So I had to adjust myself to the octagon style, the walls and everything else." Elliott (20-13-1 MMA, 10-13 UFC) is a former UFC title challenger, a seasoned veteran and a unique stylistic matchup to prepare for. Asakura, however, is well-acquainted. He issued a warning Wednesday to Elliott, 38, pertaining to his hands-down approach. "I have been watching Tim's fights many times," Asakura said. "I have already analyzed his moves. I am so ready now. ... If he does it to me, he better be careful. I'm just going to KO him and knock him down. ... The only thing I have to do to win here is to show my own strengths and power. That's about it."

Are You a Soccer Junkie? Comcast Has an $85 Bundle for You
Are You a Soccer Junkie? Comcast Has an $85 Bundle for You

Yahoo

timean hour ago

  • Yahoo

Are You a Soccer Junkie? Comcast Has an $85 Bundle for You

The race to sign up sports-starved television viewers continues to heat up. Fans of the "beautiful game" are the latest price. With the 2026 FIFA World Cup looming, Comcast (CMCSA) on Wednesday introduced a "World Soccer Ticket" bundle for Xfinity customers. The entertainment, cable, and internet conglomerate said subscribers can watch games from leagues including the Premier League, UEFA Champions League, Major League Soccer, LALIGA, Liga MX—and every game of the World Cup itself. It marks the latest new product in live sports coverage, which many companies see as a proven way to attract paying subscribers eager for fresh content. The Walt Disney Co. (DIS) will be launching a direct-to-consumer product, simply called "ESPN," on Aug. 21 for about $30 a month. Paramount Skydance (PSKY) recently agreed to pay billions to become the exclusive home of the UFC. Shares of TKO Group (TKO) surged over 7% Monday morning after when the owner of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) franchise and Paramount Skydance (PSKY) agreed to make the media giant the exclusive home of the UFC. Xfinity's bundle, which costs $85 a month, includes nearly 60 channels and a subscription to Peacock Premium, Comcast said. It also includes coverage of other sports and leagues, including the NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL and NCAA football and basketball. Shares of Comcast, which late last month added more phone subscribers and lost fewer internet and cable customers than analysts had forecast for the second quarter, were 2% higher in recent trading but remain about 13% lower this year. The marketplace for sports viewers has included both new entrants and changes in direction. Disney, FOX (FOX), and Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) killed off a joint sports streaming service, Venu, before it could debut earlier this year. Read the original article on Investopedia

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store