Breakout Brazilian star Johnny Walker and Ultimate Fighter 1 winner Diego Sanchez were among those taking home an extra 50K at UFC 235.
On a night where the main and co-main events fizzled rather than sizzled, the UFC looked further down the card for its bonus winners. At UFC 235, the PPV opener took home Fight of the Night, while a pair of fighters on the televised prelims captured the Performance of the Night bonuses.
To be fair to the main event of Jon Jones vs. Anthony Smith, it was far from the worst title fight ever. Smith simply seemed to have nothing more than heart for Jones. And heart wasn’t enough. Kamaru Usman vs. Tyron Woodley, meanwhile, will best be remembered as the night Woodley didn’t show up.
Who did show up? Pedro Munhoz. He shared Fight of the Night honors with opponent Cody Garbrandt. Munhoz engaged in a firefight with the ex-champ towards the end of the first round. It was a lengthy exchange Garbrandt had initiated, and he paid for it. With the pair standing and trading, it was the Team Alpha Male fighter who hit the ground first. Munhoz had earned the biggest win of his career, while Garbrandt fell to 0-3 over his past three fights.
Yet for the time it lasted, just under a round, Munhoz vs. Garbrandt was riveting.
💰 B O N U S 💰
POTN: @DiegoSanchezUFC & @JohnnyWalkerMMA
FOTN: Garbrandt vs @PedroMunhozMMA@P3Protein pic.twitter.com/oEM4YfBmre
— UFC (@ufc) March 3, 2019
So was Diego Sanchez vs. Mickey Gall. Gall would come to regret his callout of the Ultimate Fighter 1 winner, after Sanchez turned the fight into a nightmare for the young welterweight. Gall tired quckly, something Sanchez essentially never does. With plenty left in the tank, he dominated from top position, earning a TKO finish in the second. He also earned a Performance of the Night award.
Johnny Walker’s feelgood story continued at UFC 235. It also earned him his third straight Performance of the Night award. Sending Misha Cirkunov to the canvas off a flying knee, the TKO was yet another first round finish for Walker. The Brazilian took more damage in his post fight celebration that he did in the fight, and after improving his current win streak to nine, he’ll need another step up in competition.
All four bonus-winning fighters will earn $50,000 for their efforts.
