Check out who won the post-fight awards and bonuses for UFC on FOX 19 in Tampa, Florida.
The UFC handed out its post-fight bonuses following a very entertaining night of fights at UFC on FOX 19 in Tampa, Florida. This was one of those cards where you could’ve done with more than just the four officially announced bonuses. Here’s a rundown of the winners of the $50,000 bonus checks:
Fight of the Night: Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos def. Omari Akhmedov via 3rd round TKO
Performance of the Night: Glover Teixeira and Michael Chiesa
Zaleski dos Santos and Akhmedov opened the Fight Pass prelims with a back-and-forth battle, which was finished dramatically by the Brazilian, who battered a heavily fatigued Akhmedov with brutal strikes en route to a rare standing TKO stoppage. A first UFC win for Elizeu also nets him his first post-fight bonus. Akhmedov, who has now lost by 3rd round knockout in consecutive fights, also picked up a FOTN in his debut back in 2013 vs. Thiago Perpetuo. In that fight, Akhmedov was badly hurt in the opening round before coming back and getting the KO just seconds later.
Teixeira picked up his 4th career bonus check following a sensational knockout of Rashad Evans in the main event. The Brazilian previously won FOTN honors in a submission victory vs. Ovince Saint Preux last August, as well as 2013 bonuses for a submission of James Te Huna, as well as a knockout of Ryan Bader.
Chiesa has quietly compiled a record of 7-2 inside the Octagon, and his rear-naked choke victory over Beneil Dariush is by far the biggest and most important one he’s recorded. The native of Spokane, Washington has won 2 FOTNs (vs. Jim Miller and Joe Lauzon), plus two submission bonuses against Colton Smith and Al Iaquinta, the latter of which won him season 15 of The Ultimate Fighter.