UFC Fight Night 35 bonuses: Rockhold, Miller, Romero and Brunson win $50K awards
DULUTH, Ga. – Luke Rockhold, Cole Miller, Yoel Romero and Derek Brunson each earned $50,000 bonuses for their performances at Wednesday’s UFC Fight Night 35 event.
Rockhold earned the “Knockout of the Night,†Miller won “Submission of the Night†and Romero and Brunson picked up “Fight of the Night†honors. UFC President Dana White announced the winners at the night’s post-event news conference, which MMAjunkie attended.
UFC Fight Night 35 took place at Arena at Gwinnett Center in Duluth, Ga. The main card aired on FOX Sports 1 following prelims on FOX Sports 1 and UFC Fight Pass.
Rockhold picked up his bonus in the night’s main event. After falling short in his UFC debut, Rockhold looked impressive in a first-round finish of Constantinos Philippou, forgoing the grappling game in favor of trading with his heavy-handed opponent. The risk paid off, as a pair of crushing kicks to the body ended Philippou’s night and earned Rockhold the “Knockout of the Night†bonus.
Miller picked up the evening’s “Submission of the Night†bonus with a dominating win over a tough Sam Sicilia. In the evening’s first main-card matchup, Miller battered Sicilia on the feet before following to the floor and jumping on the back, sinking in a rear-naked choke and earning the tap. Dominant from start to finish, Miller was rewarded for his effort with the extra check.
Romero and Brunson engaged in an incredible back-and-forth contest that looked as if it might end early. But with Romero somehow shaking off a Brunson high kick to the back of the head, he battled through until the final round, when he was able to tag his opponent on the feet and then devastate him with a series of brutal elbows to the ribs. Brunson stayed on the canvas for quite some time after the finish, but the two opponents each took home an added paycheck for the evening’s “Fight of the Night†bonus awards.
