UFC 179 Bonuses: Jose Aldo, Chad Mendes, Maldonado, Burns Earn $50K Awards
Gilbert Burns’ armbar win earned him a “Performance of the
Night” bonus. | Photo: Gleidson Venga/Sherdog.com
On an evening filled with mediocre action, Jose Aldo and Chad Mendes brought down the house at Maracanazinho Gymnasium in Rio de Janeiro in the main event of UFC 179.
The 145-pound rematch of Aldo and Mendes was deemed “Fight of the Night” by Ultimate Fighting Championship officials, netting both men an extra $50,000. Much unlike their first matchup, the pair went the full 25 minutes on Saturday, each having moments when it looked as if the fight wouldn’t reach the judges’ scorecards. In the end, Aldo retained his title via unanimous decision for his 18th consecutive victory.
Related: Matches to Make After UFC 179
Elsewhere on the card, Fabio Maldonado grabbed a $50,000 “Performance of the Night” bonus for his second-round technical knockout of Hans Stringer. “Caipira de Aco” spent most of the opening frame on his back after being taken down by Stringer, but bounced back strongly and, after a flurry of punches, forced referee Marc Goodard to stop the bout. The win was Maldonado’s first via stoppage since 2010.
Gilbert Burns was awarded a $50,000 “Performance of the Night” bonus for his first-round armbar victory against Christos Giagos. The 28-year-old remains undefeated with the win, and Burns now has five submission victories on his career.
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