UFC on ABC 9 bonuses: Record-breaking knockdown performance appropriately rewarded
After UFC on ABC 9, four fighters picked up an extra $50,000 for their performances at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi. Check out the winners below.
Performance of the Night: Muslim Salikhov
Age is no problem for the 41-year-old Muslim Salikhov (22-5 MMA, 9-4 UFC), who came into his fight against Carlos Leal (22-7 MMA, 1-2 UFC) as a massive underdog. "The King of Kung Fu" blasted an overly aggressive Leal with a clean counter shot for a sub-minute knockout, to notch his second straight opening-round finish – both of which earned Perfomance of the Night bonuses.
Performance of the Night: Steven Nguyen
Steven Nguyen (10-2 MMA, 1-1 UFC) picked up his first win under the UFC banner with a record-breaking performance. Nguyen repeatedly put Mohammad Yahya (12-6 MMA, 0-3 UFC) on the canvas with accurate punches, totalling a record six knockdowns en route to a TKO stoppage by the cageside doctor after Round 2. That's two fights and two bonuses in the UFC for Fortis MMA's Nguyen, who returns home with an extra check and his name in the record books.
Fight of the Night: Shara Magomedov def. Marc-Andre Barriault
On the main card, middleweights Shara Magomedov (16-1 MMA, 5-1 UFC) and Marc-Andre Barriault (17-10 MMA, 6-9 UFC) put on an incredible back-and-forth war over 15 minutes. After a close opening round, all hell broke loose when both fighters had near-finishing moments. Barriault flattened Magomedov's nose, but he ended up in big trouble as the round came to a close. The bloody affair somehow reached the final horn, where Magomedov was announced the winner by unanimous decision. For their efforts, they both take home an extra $50,000.
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