UFC 251 On ‘Fight Island’: Fight Night Bonuses
There were no fans in Abut Dhabi, where UFC 251 took place. As a result, there was no gate for the event on Yas Island.
However, the first “Fight Island” event for the UFC (July 11) had memorable moments, with newcomers impressing and the women stealing the show.
The second fight on the main card, the rematch between Rose Namajunas and Jessica Andrade earned Fight of the Night honors. Both fighters put on an absolute clinic as they tried to move up in the strawweight division. Andrade (20-8) was patient compared to the first fight and managed to avoid the heavy hands of Namajunas (9-4) early on. “Thug Rose”, however, would still land clear shots, even while some were telegraphed.
Andrade was able to take round three after a masterful comeback, thanks to a takedown, but it wasn’t enough as Namajunas won via split decision. Namajunas is no longer tied in second for most wins (8) in UFC strawweight history.
Late in the fight, @jessicammapro lands a heavy shot and tosses Rose Namajunas 😬 #UFC251
▶️ https://t.co/1Ld3yxSXQe pic.twitter.com/spJ7niPQRq
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) July 12, 2020
It was the first fight of the night that ended up taking home part of the Performance of the Night bonus. Davey Grant, who is now on a two-fight win streak, was able to knock out Martin Day with a vicious shot to the face. Grant (12-4) is now 3-3 with the promotion.
OUT COLD 🥶
Third-round KO for @DaveyGrantMMA at #UFC251 pic.twitter.com/cBmlxeKdfS
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) July 11, 2020
The other Performance of the Night bonus went to Jiri Prochazka. A champion with RIZIN, Prochazka (27-3-1) was making his UFC debut. He impressed the promotion with a solid first round that saw him utilize his unique style. Right when round two began, he would hit a shot that put former title contender Volkan Oezdemir down for the count.
UFC debuts don't get much better than this 😳 @jiri_bjp
Stream #UFC251 on ESPN+ ➡️ https://t.co/1Ld3yxSXQe pic.twitter.com/IWdAKpyiep
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) July 12, 2020