Check out which fighters won performance bonuses from UFC 238: Cejudo vs. Moraes.
The United Center in Chicago, Illinois was home to a entertaining night of fights. The card saw five (T)KOs and eight unanimous decisions.
Fight of the Night: Tony Ferguson vs. Donald Cerrone
Tony Ferguson and Donald Cerrone put on a helluva scrap, but it was Ferguson who would end up in the winner’s circle. After lots of back-and-forth that saw classic Ferguson recklessness, “El Cucuy” worked a stiff jab in an effort to keep his opponent back, but “Cowboy” took the round by my scoring.
The second round was more back-and-forth action, but Tony had Donald figured out and was starting to box him up. Ferguson’s kicks were finding their mark and his super hard lefts were destroying Cowboy’s face. Tony had been switching stances throughout the fight and was zeroing in with clean rights with alarming regularity. By the end of the round, Ferguson was starting to land elbows—hell, by this point, everything he was throwing was landing.
The doctor was called in between rounds and the fight was waved off after it was determined Cerrone couldn’t see out of his super swollen right eye.
Tony Ferguson gets the win and both men get a $50,000 bonus.
Performance of the Night: Valentina Shevchenko, Henry Cejudo
Valentina Shevchenko dominated Jessica Eye right from the start, loading up those high kicks early on. She would work Eye over on the ground from the midpoint to the horn and came close to a submission in the last seconds of the first stanza. Round 2 started with Valentina landing a heavy kick to the body, then following up with a nasty head kick that felled Eye like a lovely tree. Out. Cold.
Valentina Shevchenko gets the win and a $50,000 bonus.
Henry Cejudo and Marlon Moraes put on an outstanding fight for Chicago fans in attendance and the rest of us watching around the world. After a first round that saw Cejudo in trouble with Moraes’ constant pressure and an onslaught of his punches and kicks, Cejudo was still taking a beating in the early goings of round 2. However, by the midpoint, he had made the necessary adjustments and took over the round, starting with a massive knee that turned into 5 consecutive knees that landed squarely on Marlon’s head.
The third round was all Cejudo, with Moraes clearly gassed and just taking a shellacking of epic proportions. There was a point where Marlon tried to get hold of Cejudo’s arm, but just slid away as though his own arm were made of jello. Cejudo nearly had a front choke but lost it, then Moraes tried to get an armbar, but again, was too exhausted, and ate several hammerfists as a result. Cejudo was landing fierce ground-and-pound, but Moraes wasn’t defending. Referee Marc Goddard finally stops the fight, probably a little on the late side.
Henry Cejudo gets the win and a $50,000 bonus.
ATTENDANCE
16,083
GATE
US $2,034,387.49