There’s a reason the UFC is known as the most brutal organization in the world—fighters step into the octagon and often leave battered and bloodied. UFC fighters are no strangers to injuries, and UFC Vegas 97 was no different. Lightweight contender Rong Zhu took a serious beating in his prelim fight against Chris Padilla on the Burns vs. Brady card. Despite the intense battle and all the brutality, Padilla went home empty-handed, missing out on the bonus he had hoped for from Dana White.
If you missed the fight, here’s the lowdown: In the second round, Padilla landed a brutal elbow to Zhu’s eye. At first, Zhu thought it was an eye poke, but it turned out to be a nasty elbow strike. Zhu ended up losing by TKO in that same round. The damage to his eye was so severe that he had to be rushed to the hospital right after the fight.
His manager later shared an update, saying that Zhu couldn’t even open his eyes and that his orbital bone was shattered. After delivering that brutal elbow and securing the TKO win, Padilla mentioned in the post-fight presser that he’s hoping for a $50k bonus.
In his words, “I think that (elbow strike) is worth $50,000. At first everyone was like ahhh! Maybe but who is doing it like that man. Who split somebody with an elbow and swollen their eyes up.”
Unfortunately for him, when the bonuses for UFC Vegas 97 were announced, his name was missing, leaving him disappointed. So, who did end up getting the bonuses? Check out the details below.
UFC Vegas 97: Which Fighters Bagged $50K From UFC Boss Dana White?
While everyone had their eyes on the main event between Gilbert Burns and Sean Brady, expecting a brutal showdown, it ended up being a one-sided domination by Brady. However, it was the other fights that brought the real heat, proving once again that the least expected matchups often deliver the most memorable moments and steal the headlines. With intense battles like Natalia Silva vs. Jessica Andrade and Chris Padilla vs. Zhu Rong, fans are now curious about who scored the extra $50,000 bonus from Dana White and Co.
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When it comes to bonuses, the co-main event featuring Jessica Andrade and Natalia Silva stole the show, with both fighters snagging the Fight of the Night bonuses. The underdog Silva, just 27 years old, came out firing and managed to outshine the former strawweight champ across three rounds, earning a unanimous decision, which was an absolute brawl.
Aside from Andrade and Silva, Steve Garcia and Cody Durden also took home bonuses, thanks to their impressive finishes. Garcia secured a first-round TKO against Kyle Nelson, while Durden earned a second-round submission victory over Matthew Christopher Schnell. Both fighters pocketed $50k each from Dana White for their performances.
Also Read: “Absolutely Brutal” – Fans React As Shocking Eye Injury Sends UFC Vegas 97 Fighter To Hospital
