Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images
Check out which fighters won performance bonuses from UFC Fight Night: Covington vs. Lawler .
The Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey was home to a solid afternoon of fights. The card saw three (T)KOs, five submissions and four decisions. Colby Covington put up a dominant, lopsided performance over Lawler, Jim Miller made history and Matt Schnell reminded us why the flyweights should never be overlooked.
Performances of the Night: Nasrat Haqparast, Matt Schnell
Matt Schnell took a short 83 seconds to snag a triangle on Jordan Espinosa. The two men engaged quickly, with Espinosa landing a hard shot to Schnell’s face. Schnell landed a low kick that spun Jordan around, then countered a body kick. Espinosa gets a takedown but ends up in a guillotine. He escaped but fell into a triangle and the fat lady sang.
Matt Schnell gets the win and a $50,000 bonus
Kelvin Gastelum light, Nasrat Haqparast, scored a massive second round knockout of Joaquim Silva after a fairly lackluster first round that took nearly three minutes for the action to get underway. The second round was where the fireworks happened, though. A few kicks from Silva opened the round, but Haqparast answered with a huge left that put Silva down. Nasrat wasted no time following him down to finish the job with vicious ground-and-pound.
Nasrat Haqparast gets the win and a $50,000 bonus
Should’ve gotten a bonus but didn’t: Jim Miller
Jim Miller notched his ninth submission over fellow veteran Clay Guida inside the minute mark of the very first round. Guida would land the first bomb, stunning Miller with a big right hand. Miller returned fire with a heat-seeker of his own, then jumped on Guida with a guillotine, cranking it tight. Guida goes to sleep and Herb Dean called it at 58 seconds.
Jim Miller gets the win but sadly did not get a $50,000 bonus
Fight of the Night: Antonina Shevchenko vs. Lucie Pudilova
Antonina Shevchenko and Lucie Pudilova put on a great battle for Newark fans today that saw Shevchenko’s new and improved grappling on display. Shevchenko’s kickboxing, particularly her knees were a key factor in snatching the first round, as she pinned Pudilova against the fence and peppered her with them mercilessly. Pudilova stunned Shevchenko with some elbows late in the round and managed a takedown where Antonina actually threatened with an armbar.
Round two started with Pudilova trying for another takedown, then slamming Shevchenko to the mat. In the process, Lucie gave up her back and Shevchenko immediately seized the opportunity, sinking in a rear-naked choke, flattening her out and putting Pudilova to sleep.
Antonina Shevchenko gets the win and both women get a $50,000 bonus
ATTENDANCE: 10,427
GATE: $687,778