The return of Chad Mendes and an impressive finish by Niko Price were among the UFC Boise bonuses.
The UFC made its debut in Idaho on Saturday, and what looked to be a promising card on paper for the most part delivered in the cage. Sure, the prelims saw five of seven fights going to decision, but the prelims also boasted the Fight of the Night winner. And the main card, frankly, delivered, with Chad Mendes, Niko Price, and Sage Northcutt all putting opponents to sleep in impressive fashion.
While Northcutt may have garnered the largest reaction from the crowd (a very pro-Super Sage bunch), it was Mendes and Price who picked up the evening’s Performance of the Night bonuses. As finishes go, Mendes was impressive simply for the sheer explosiveness of it. A left hand dropped Myles Jury, after which ‘Money’ proved that time away from the cage had not lessened his killer instincts. He pounced, unleashed a deluge of ground and pound, and earned the TKO win.
Niko Price’s big finish, however, was something else entirely. Price was in something of a bad spot, with Randy Brown on top of him, when the end came. Trapping Brown’s head with his foot, he proceeded to unleash some heavy hammer fists. From the bottom. By the third consecutive blow, Brown looked to be out. Though the ref can be forgiven for not stopping the fight immediately. After all, when was the last time you saw a fighter finished by hammer fists from bottom?
💰 50G 💰
FOTN: @KurtHolobaugh vs @RaoniBarcelos
POTN: @ChadMendes & @NikoHybridPrice #UFCBoise pic.twitter.com/j7Lq7oZKsx
— UFC (@ufc) July 15, 2018
Fight of the Night honors, meanwhile, went to newcomers Raoni Barcelos and Kurt Holobaugh. They battled it out for the better part of three rounds until Barcelos finally came away with the KO.
For their efforts in the Gem State, all four fights will pick up an extra $50,000.
