The scorecards were perhaps just a bit controversial, but featherweights Chepe Mariscal and Morgan “The Last Pirate” Charriere both came away from UFC Vegas 90 with their wallets significantly heavier.
Saturday’s main card battle was a boost in profile for both fighters, one that paid off in spades. A back-and-forth battle across three rounds saw both men have their moments, with Charriere showing superb takedown defense and solid technical striking, while Mariscal fared better when things got a little dirtier.
In the end, two judges scored the fight 29-28 for Mariscal, giving him the win, while the dissenting judge awarded Charriere a 30-27 score. Pretty divided, as these things go, but the UFC saw fit to reward the pair with Fight of the Night honors. That pockets both men an additional $50,000 USD on top of their purse, outfitting pay etc.
Not a bad deal in the end, with stiff competition from the main event featuring Brendan Allen and Chris Curtis (Allen came away with the win in that one, avenging a 2021 loss to “The Action Man“).
Performance of the Night bonuses at UFC Vegas 90 went to Cesar Almeida, for his TKO finish of Dylan Budka on the preliminary card, and Ignacio Bahamondes. Chile’s Bahamondes put away Christos Giagos with a head kick — his second head kick finish under the UFC banner.
