UFC 332 bonuses: Four score $100K at historic show for stoppages - MMA Junkie
The UFC handed out four bonuses after Saturday's card in Utah, which set a new record for most finishes (11), most knockouts (11), most knockdowns (16) and most first-round finishes (nine).
After UFC 332, four fighters picked up an extra $100,000 for their performances at Delta Center in Salt Lake City. Additionally, six fighters got $25,000 extra checks for finishes that weren’t bonus-winners. (A potential seventh, Esteban Ribovics, was ineligible for a bonus because he missed weight.)
Check out the list of winners below.
Against likely the most dangerous opponent of his UFC career so far, Roman Kopylov (16-5 MMA, 8-5 UFC) became the first to finish Ateba Gautier (11-2 MMA, 5-1 UFC) and handed him his first UFC loss. Gautier was a 3-1 favorite in the fight, but Kopylov landed consistently in the first three minutes, then took him off his feet with a straight left. He quickly moved in for the finish to put Gautier away and take his hype.
Imanol Rodriguez (8-0 MMA, 2-0 UFC) looked like a future star at flyweight when he took out Alden Coria (13-4 MMA, 3-1 UFC), a highly touted training partner of UFC 125-pound champ Joshua Van, with a first-round TKO. Rodriguez landed a teep right down the middle, and as soon as it hit, Coria screamed out in agony.
Damian Pinas (11-1 MMA, 3-0 UFC) landed an uppercut from the depths of hell that put Andrey Pulyaev (10-6 MMA, 1-4 UFC) out cold in just 75 seconds. The punch reportedly broke Pulyaev’s jaw.
Johnny Walker (23-10 MMA, 9-7 UFC) made an insane debut at heavyweight when he launched a picture-perfect leaping knee that hit Mick Parkin (10-2 MMA, 4-2 UFC) flush and put him out in the first round.
Payton Talbott (12-1 MMA, 6-1 UFC) was a heavy favorite against former flyweight champion Deiveson Figueiredo (25-8-1 MMA, 14-8-1 UFC) and showed why when he tore through him for a reasonably easy first-round TKO. He called for a fight against former bantamweight champ Sean O’Malley next on his way to official title contention.
Marcus McGhee (12-2 MMA, 6-1 UFC) got some early tests from short-notice replacement Anthony Romero (7-3 MMA, 0-1 UFC), but eventually overwhelmed him late in the first for a TKO.
Anthony Wint (9-0 MMA, 2-0 UFC) continued his destructive run early in his career when he needed just 23 seconds to take out Lucas Armand (6-1 MMA, 0-1 UFC) with a barrage of punches along the fence. Armand looked like he knew what was coming and had very little interest in taking much of it.
Jacobe Smith (13-0 MMA, 4-0 UFC) slammed newcomer Bruce Whitehead (8-3 MMA, 0-1 UFC) and likely took the breath right out of him, which helped a second later when he drilled him with heavy right hands for a first-round knockout.
Alexander Hernandez (19-9 MMA, 11-8 UFC) had a rough first round against former lightweight champion Rafael dos Anjos (32-18-0 MMA, 21-16 UFC). But in the second, Hernandez caught RDA and put him away for one of the biggest wins of his lengthy UFC tenure.
Eric Nolan (9-5 MMA, 1-2 UFC) spoiled the home retirement party for Court McGee (22-15 MMA, 11-14 UFC) and put him away in the third round with a solid TKO. The two threw back and forth throughout the fight, and the judges were split heading to the third, according to the scorecard. But Nolan kept the pressure on to make sure it didn’t matter. McGee knew going in he was going to retire in front of his home fans, but left disappointed.
