Yair Rodriguez and Chan Sung Jung put on a performance to remember to help celebrate the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s 25 anniversary.
The nearly five-round featherweight battle was an obvious choice for “Fight of the Night,” as Rodriguez and “The Korean Zombie” pocketed $50,000 apiece for their efforts in the UFC Fight Night 139 headliner at the Pepsi Center in Denver on Saturday night. There was plenty of action from both athletes in the bout, but ultimately it was Rodriguez who pulled out a miraculous knockout victory thanks to a no-look elbow at the 4:59 mark of fifth frame.
While there were some other worthy bonus candidates on the card — notably Maycee Barber and Devonte Smith, both of whom scored finishes in their promotional debuts — Rodriguez’s “Knockout of the Year” entry garnered him a $50,000 “Performance of the Night” award, as well.
Elsewhere, notorious bonus collector Donald Cerrone pocketed another $50,000 “Performance of the Night” check for his first-round submission of Mike Perry in the welterweight co-main event. An ill-advised takedown attempt from Perry led to a series of scrambles and transitions on the canvas before “Cowboy” went belly down on an armbar to earn the tapout at the 4:46 mark of round one.