One of the biggest upsets in Ultimate Fighting Championship history
was quite profitable for Sean
Strickland.
In addition to some championship hardware, Strickland received a
$50,000 “Performance of the Night” bonus for his shocking unanimous
decision triumph over Israel
Adesanya in the UFC 293
headliner at Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney on Saturday night. A
significant underdog heading into the fight, Strickland outlanded
Adesanya over the course of five rounds to become the 13th
middleweight title holder in promotion history.
Elsewhere, Manel Kape
and Felipe
dos Santos garnered “Fight of the Night” honors and $50,000
apiece for their spirited flyweight scrap. Kape, who was originally
supposed to face Kai
Kara-France, got all he could handle from dos Santos.
Ultimately, the ex-Rizin Fighting Federation champion landed with
superior power and accuracy to get the nod on the scorecards.
Finally, Justin Tafa
captured the evening’s other $50,000 “Performance of the Night”
check by making short work of Austen Lane
in a heavyweight rematch. After their first meeting earlier this
year ended prematurely due to an eye poke, Tafa left nothing to
chance, as he dropped his foe with a left hook and finished the job
with standing-to-ground punches 1:22 into the first frame.