Dricks du Plessis gets $50,000 after knockout win
The UFC awarded their UFC 290 bonuses to Dricus du Plessis and Dennis Gomes, who won $50,000 bonuses for their performances on the night. Meanwhile, Brandon Moreno Vs. Alexandre Pantoja also won Fight of the Night and each received a $50,000 bonus.
Performance of the Night: Gomes, du Plessis
Fight of the Night: Moreno vs. Pantoza
— Aaron Bronsteter (@aaronbronsteter) 9 July 2023
Du Plessis, a former KSW and EFC champion, was looking to make a statement in his fight against Robert Whittaker. He did exactly that by knocking out the former middleweight champion in the second round to earn his title shot against current middleweight champion Israel Adesanya at UFC 293 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia in September.
book title shot @DricusduPlessis Rob Whittaker finished in second place #UFC290, pic.twitter.com/8rArC8mdRX
— UFC (@ufc) 9 July 2023
Gomes pulled off a stunning upset victory over Yazmin Jauregui in a wild strawweight matchup. Gomes won with a flurry of punches that dropped Jauregui to the canvas in the first round and secured the knockout in a record-setting 20 seconds. The win was a huge turnaround for Gomes and put him in prime position to leapfrog up the strawweight rankings.
Fastest Finish in Strawweight History
Dennis Gomes just made a statement #UFC290, pic.twitter.com/OW6u14pkKv
— UFC (@ufc) 9 July 2023
Moreno and Pantoja had an exciting fight that went the distance. The two fighters had fought twice before, with Pantoja winning both bouts. However, Moreno was able to pick up the victory in their third meeting, showcasing his impressive striking and grappling skills. The win was huge for Moreno, who is now in line for the flyweight title
Alexandre Pantoza defeats Brandon Moreno via split decision pic.twitter.com/cyZ9LjOk9L
– MMA Mania (@mmamania) 9 July 2023
With their impressive performances at UFC 290, Du Plessis, Gomes, Moreno and Pantoja have solidified their positions as the top fighters in their respective divisions. Du Plessis will fight for the middleweight title at UFC 293, while Gomes will look to build on his disappointing win and hope to find the next ranked competitor. It will be interesting to see what the UFC does with new flyweight champion Alexandre Pantoja as there are several names at the top of the division who would be a good challenger for him.
UFC 290 was a night of exciting bouts and impressive performances. The $50,000 bonuses awarded to du Plessis, Gomes, Moreno and Pantoja were well deserved and a reminder of the talent and skill displayed in the Octagon.
