Anthony Pettis’ latest addition to the highlight reel proved to be quite lucrative.
“Showtime” appeared to be down on the scorecards as time ticked down in the second stanza of the UFC Nashville headliner before he launched himself at Stephen Thompson with a hooking superman punch, knocking “Wonderboy” out cold with five seconds remaining in the period. As a result, Pettis earned a $50,000 “Performance of the Night” bonus for his successful welterweight debut.
Meanwhile, Bryce Mitchell and Bobby Moffett garnered “Fight of the Night” honors and $50,000 apiece for their back-and-forth preliminary featherweight scrap. In a competitive bout that featured a few momentum swings, Mitchell sealed his victory by threatening with a tight rear-naked choke late in the final stanza to sweep the scorecards by identical 29-28 counts.
Finally, Randa Markos received the evening’s other $50,000 “Performance of the Night” check for her first-round submission of former Invicta FC champ Angela Hill. Markos tossed her opponent to the canvas and attempted a rear-naked choke before transitioning to an armbar. After a brief struggle, Hill was forced to tap at the 4:24 mark of round one.