UFC 211 Saturday night in Dallas, Texas brought MMA fans what was unquestionably the best UFC card of the year to date. In one of those rare cases where expectations meet reality, the card was every bit as good as advertised. Any number of fights were in the running for performance bonuses, with a couple of standouts. Ultimately, champion Stipe Miocic, featherweight Jason Knight, and little-known heavyweights Chase Sherman and Rashad Coulter picked up bonuses. Each earned $50,000 for their efforts.
Closing the show in the main event, heavyweight champion Stipe Miocic wasted little time securing his claim to the title of baddest man on the planet. After a couple of early leg kicks from challenger Junior dos Santos seemed to phase him, Miocic connected with a right hand that sent “Cigano” crashing to the canvas. A flurry of punches to the downed Brazilian followed, and that was all she wrote. With the win, Miocic moved to 17-2.
After finishing opponent Chas Skelly in the third round of their prelim card fight, Jason Knight (17-2) actually called for Dana White to grant him a bonus. Wish granted.
Fight of the Night honors, meanwhile, went to heavyweights Chase Sherman (10-3) and Rashad Coulter (8-2). Both men were added to the card late as injury replacements, and made the most of their opportunity. Sherman picked up the victory in the second round, finishing Coulter with an elbow. Yet not before Coulter, a Dallas local, showed a ton of heart, battling back from adversity multiple times to wobble Sherman. With the win, Sherman likely staved off an exit from the UFC, as he had lost two straight coming into the event.
Coulter, meanwhile, was making his UFC debut. Despite the loss, he certainly wasn’t a loser, leaving quite the impression on the hometown crowd.
