Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports
Check out which fighters won performance bonuses from UFC Fight Night 161: Waterson vs. Joanna.
Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida was home to a great night of fights. The card saw four (T)KOs, two submissions and eight decisions, including two split-decisions.
Fight of the Night: Cub Swanson vs. Kron Gracie
Cub Swanson and Kron Gracie put on a helluva scrap for Florida fight fans, going the distance and throwing more than 500 punches between them. Swanson would land at a slightly higher percentage, 46% to Gracie’s 43%, and he would successfully defend both of Gracie’s takedown attempts. Swanson clearly won all three rounds, but Gracie had his moments and was never out of the fight. If it had been five rounds, we may have seen Gracie turn it around, but for these three rounds, the two engaged in a fierce standup battle that saw Cub win with a smart gameplan and lots of body work. It was a fine performance by Swanson and a great way to snap a four-fight skid.
Cub Swanson gets the win and both men take home a $50K bonus
Performances of the Night: Marlon Vera, Niko Price
Marlon Vera put on a clinic against Andre Ewell and despite Ewell’s tough chin, got the finish in the third round. The two men traded shots and kicks, but it was clear that “Chito” had a distinct striking advantage, even working from the bottom on the mat. As the fight wore on, Vera employed a lethal kicking strategy that kept Ewell at bay, minimizing his attack. Ewell’s chin was solid throughout, but in the third, the onslaught of punches, knees and kicks finally began to break him down. Ewell managed to escape a guillotine attempt in the third only to succumb to a barrage of elbows afew moments later.
Marlon Vera gets the win and a $50K bonus
Niko Price was a man on a mission, win in front of a home crowd, and he did that in emphatic fashion. The two immediately engage, and Price gets Vick to the mat. They scramble, and eventually Vick regains his footing, and before Price can get up, starts dropping bombs from the top. In true Niko Price fashion, he lands an upkick and knocks Vick out cold.
Niko Price gets the win and a $50K bonus
Attendance: 10,597
Gate: $897,805