The Toyota Arena in Houston, Texas was the home to a fun night of fights, with five (T)KOs, two submissions, and five decisions, including one split decision. Here’s our breakdown of the bonus winning performances.
Performances of the Night: Chan Sung Jung and Marcel Fortuna
Brian Stann summed up the reaction to the Korean Zombie’s first round KO over Dennis Bermudez perfectly: “This was not supposed to happen!” People just don’t spend almost 4 years away from fighting and come back to knock out one of the top fighters in their division. Turns out, Zombies do. Chan Sung Jung walks away with the win, a $50,000 bonus check, and Bermudez’s braaaaaain.
Marcel Fortuna managed to get one of the most prized finishes in MMA: a walk-off KO. Things started poorly for the undersized heavyweight when a cut opened over his eye after a clash of heads. Hamilton screwed up by making Fortuna bleed his own blood, though, and Anthony took a shot so hard that Lin-Manuel Miranda felt it. Fortuna walked away with the victory and a small fortuna in bonus money.
Fight of the Night: Jessica Andrade vs. Angela Hill
Angela Hill’s UFC return might not have ended with the decision she would have liked, but it gave the fans one hell of a fight. There’s a strong argument to be made that Hill should never have been cut in the first place, and she showed why tonight in a great scrap against top contender Jessica Andrade.
Andrade put on a fantastic striking display and took a 30-27 decision on all three scorecards, but Hill showed a ton of heart, constantly coming forward and trading punches, kicks and elbows. Every time Andrade landed a big shot or combination Hill would retaliate with one of her own. Hill wasn’t able to land with quite the same power or consistency, but she made a hell of an attempt and both women put on a great fight. Hill and Andrade walk away $50,000 richer for their efforts.