UFC 207 Bonuses: Amanda Nunes Scores $50,000 For Devastating KO

UFC 207 emanated tonight (Friday, December 30, 2016) from the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. The main event saw superstar Ronda Rousey make her long-awaited return against Brazilian powerhouse Amanda Nunes. It would be one to forget for the former champion.

“The Lioness” savaged the “Rowdy” one in under a minute. A brief scuffle gave way to Nunes landing power punch after power punch, Rousey a sitting duck for the onslaught. Already dazed after the first couple and unable to clinch or get out of harm’s way, Rousey had to be rescued by referee Herb Dean just 48 seconds into the very first round. For her efforts, Nunes was awarded a $50,000 Performance of the Night bonus check. Where Rousey goes from here is much less certain.

The other Performance of the Night and extra $50,000 went to Alex Garcia for his crushingly violent first-round knockout of Mike Pyle on the prelims. An overhand right from the hulking welterweight caught Pyle flush on the chin as he moved forward, knocking him unconscious immediately. The long-time UFC and MMA veteran crashed backwards to the canvas, his face grotesquely contorted.

The Fight of the Night was a no-brainer, as Cody Garbrandt put on a scintillating display of speed, power, and poise in taking a unanimous verdict – and the belt – from Dominick Cruz. Two razor-close rounds gave way to a clear-cut third for the challenger. The fourth round, though, saw Garbrandt utterly dominate “The Dominator”, knocking him down on several occasions while mocking him mercilessly. Cruz showed incredible heart and toughness to not go away, but his last-ditch efforts in the fifth could not win him the belt. They did, however, earn him an extra $50,000.

Stay tuned to LowKickMMA for all the UFC 207 fallout.