The mixed martial arts cage made its way back to Texas for the UFC Houston card this evening, where four combatants were awarded post-fight performance accolades.
The main event of the fight night showcased a pivotal contest in the middleweight division, pitting ex-division kingpin Sean Strickland against Anthony Hernandez. The fight demonstrated a resurgence for Sean Strickland, the promotion’s previous middleweight titleholder. The 34-year-old fighter effectively employed his sharp left jab to dominate and vex Hernandez through the initial two rounds. Subsequently, in the third round, Strickland delivered a powerful knee to the torso, visibly injuring ‘Fluffy’. Sensing weakness, Sean advanced with a barrage of strikes, leading to Anthony’s collapse and the subsequent intervention by the referee (the moment can be viewed here). It was an impressive display, and following his win, Strickland challenged the reigning 185-pound champion, Khamzat Chimaev.
The co-main event at UFC Houston featured a welterweight clash involving Geoff Neal and Uros Medic. This encounter culminated in a stunning first-round knockout win for Medic. ‘The Doctor’ rendered Neal unconscious with an expertly placed left hook, bringing the fight to an instant close.
After the evening’s proceedings wrapped up, UFC representatives confirmed during the post-fight media briefing that four athletes would be receiving performance incentives.
Evening’s Best Performance: Sean Strickland secured an additional $100,000 for his remarkable technical knockout triumph in the third round against Anthony Hernandez, headlining this evening’s UFC Houston card. The ex-champion concluded the fight with ‘Fluffy’ in the third stanza, employing a brutal knee to the midsection, succeeded by a rapid series of strikes.
Evening’s Best Performance: Jacobe Smith earned an additional $100,000 for his impressive first-round knockout win against Josiah Harrell (view the moment here).
Evening’s Best Performance: Melquizael Costa was awarded an additional $100,000 for his first-round technical knockout success over Dan Ige. Costa knocked Ige down with a stunning spinning back kick to the head, then completed the stoppage with ground strikes (watch it here).
Evening’s Best Performance: Uros Medic received an additional $100,000 for his spectacular single-punch knockout win against Geoff Neal in the co-main event of the night (the clip is available here).
Were you astonished by any of the monetary incentives distributed by Dana White and his associates after the culmination of this evening’s UFC Houston spectacle? Express your opinions in the comments, PENN Nation!
