Four fighters received significant bonuses following Saturday’s UFC 329 event in Las Vegas, with an additional eight fighters earning smaller checks for their finishes. The event, held at T-Mobile Arena, featured several notable performances, including a co-main event victory and a dramatic comeback.
Paddy Pimblett secured a Performance of the Night bonus for his quick finish in the co-main event. He defeated Benoit Saint Denis with a D’Arce choke less than a minute into their lightweight bout. Pimblett had reportedly predicted his opponent would attempt a takedown, which he then countered effectively.
Another Performance of the Night bonus was awarded to King Green. Green achieved a comeback victory against Terrance McKinney, landing crucial strikes and securing a finish with one second remaining in the first round after being bloodied earlier in the fight.
Fight of the Night and Finish Bonuses
The Fight of the Night bonus was shared between Brandon Royval and Lone’er Kavanagh, with each fighter receiving a substantial prize. Their flyweight contest was described as one of the best in the division’s history. Royval ultimately secured a body triangle and rear-naked choke to force Kavanagh to tap in the third round, following two rounds of back-and-forth action.
In addition to the main bonuses, eight fighters received extra checks for their finishes. These included Robert Whittaker, who had a strong debut at light heavyweight against Nikita Krylov, forcing a finish early in the third round. Gable Steveson also secured a first-round TKO in his promotional debut against Elisha Ellison.
Other fighters who earned finish bonuses were Adrian Yanez, who defeated former bantamweight champion Cody Garbrandt with a first-round TKO, and Luke Riley, who remained undefeated by securing a TKO1 against Kai Kamaka III. Damian Pinas delivered a powerful strike against Cesar Almeida, leading to a quick finish, while Ryan Gandra also secured a first-round knockout against Zach Reese with a left hand. Alessandro Costa earned his first submission victory in the UFC, defeating Cody Durden with a rear-naked choke.
Conor McGregor’s Injury at UFC 329
In other news from UFC 329, Ultimate Fighting Championship CEO Dana White commented on an injury sustained by Conor McGregor during his rematch with Max Holloway. White stated that McGregor appeared to land awkwardly after attempting a kick early in the bout, leading to the fight being stopped.
White suspects McGregor suffered an ACL injury, though he noted he had not yet spoken with McGregor directly. Doctors reportedly share this initial assessment. McGregor had previously suffered a torn ACL in his first fight against Holloway in 2013. The broadcast also highlighted McGregor taking an awkward step before entering the Octagon and wincing after a short jump.
White denied any knowledge of McGregor entering the fight with a pre-existing injury, stating that if there had been one, it would have been noticed. McGregor himself clarified in a statement on X that he had no injuries going into the fight, describing his condition as having his “head gasket gone” and feeling “beyond dark here.”
Further information regarding McGregor’s injury is expected following an MRI.
Read Also
Source: ca.sports.yahoo.com
Chloe Tremblay is the Sports Reporter at CasinoNews, covering basketball, tennis and athletics with nine years of reporting experience. She reported on the Raptors' rise and two Olympic cycles. She holds a degree in Journalism from Concordia University. Based in Montreal, she plays recreational basketball and follows track athletics. “The best stories come from the athletes everyone overlooks.”
