Who really won the Performance Bonus at UFC 172?

Joseph Benavidez and Chris Beal won the performance bonuses for UFC 172 but I think that Luke Rockhold and Danny Castillo might have ben robbed. Now if this were to have happened last year when the UFC gave a bonus for submission of the night and knockout of the night both would have been given his bonus money. But first let me say in no way am I saying Benavidez and Beal aren’t worthy of the bonus. I’m just saying if anything Rockhold and Castillo should have gotten it… even the champ should have gotten it for the way he nullified Teixeira and beat him at his own game.

Since the bonuses are referred to as Performance of the Night, I think we should look at the whole fight from beginning to end not just the way a fight ends. So with that being said if you look at the stats. Of all 20 fighters Rockhold (100%) and Castillo (80%/77%) were first and second in total and significant strikes percentage.

Total Strike Percentage			Significant Strike Percentage
Rockhold	100%		Rockhold	100%
Castillo	80%		Castillo	77%
Brenneman	80%		Elliot	77%
Elliot	78%		Brenneman	62%
Vallie-Flagg	66%		Gomi	55%
Gomi	59%		Boetsch	50%
Correia	55%		Vallie-Flagg	49%
Jones	52%		Correia	48%
Benavidez	50%		Jones	48%
Boetsch	50%		Johnson	44%
Duke	47%		Duke	41%
Johnson	44%		Williams	40%
Williams	40%		Benavidez	39%
Beal	38%		Beal	38%
Holloway	35%		Medeiros	33%
Medeiros	33%		Holloway	31%
Fili	32%		Fili	31%
Miller	30%		Miller	26%
Teixeira	25%		Teixeira	23%
Davis	19%		Davis	14%

For Beal it’s hard to say he shouldn’t have gotten it especially after the way he ended it with a flying knee but his opponent Patrick Williams landed a higher percentage of strikes.

Rockhold also had two submissions lock in as he rolled a takedown attempt by Boetsch into his favorite technique the inverted triangle, which he used as a setup for his fight ending kimura. BTW he finished his fight TWO minutes faster than Benavidez and only took one hit.

I get why Benavidez got it. When you put your oppoenent in a postion were he has to tap with his feet and the resilience he displayed after Elliot came out and was out striking him while standing.

In the end I think that the Performance Bonuses that are given out should reflect the whole fight not just the outcome.

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UFC 172 Post Event Thoughts

It took two full days to recover but WOW!! UFC 172 was an awesome card from the Fight Pass Fight to the Prelims Fights before the main card but like I said…. WOW!!

6 of the 10 fights didn’t make it to the judge scorecard, which has been somewhat of a rarity, these past couple of UFC pay per views. Of the six, four finished by submission that includes two of my contenders for Submission of the Year as Joseph Benavidez finished Tim Elliot with a sick Guillotine (which he latter dubed “The Joaconstrictor”) that forced Elliot to tap with his feet in a wild way. Also Luke Rockhold finished his middleweight adversary Tim Boetsch with a kimura, which he set up with an inverted triangle after a takedown attempt by Boetsch. 

EVEN THE TWO KNOCKOUTS COULD BE IN THE RUNNING FOR KNOCKOUT OF THE YEAR!!

Team Alpha Male member Danny Castillo viciously knocked out Charlie Brenneman early in the second round with a over hand right. It was a good thing referee Dan Miragliotta (who in my opinion and I’m willing to bet y’all would agree with me in saying he is the second worse referee only behind the incompetent Steve Mazzagatti) if not Castillo was in prime position to rain heavy haymakers on a limp Brenneman. Castillo looks like he has earned a shot a top 15 opponent.

Recent Ultimate Fighter Team Rousey cast member Chris “The Real Deal” Beal most definitely lived up to his nickname as he ended his fight against Patrick Williams with a vicious flying knee in a fast paced fight. The bantamweights traded blows for a full five minutes before “Real Deal” put Williams to sleep in the second round. Beal is an interesting name to look out for as he tries to make his way into the top15.

WELCOME BACK TO THE UFC MR. RUMBLE!!!

Anthony Johnson made his return to the octagon after a two year absence from the promotion due to being cut after missing weight for a middleweight fight by 12lbs. Johnson had previously missed weight but a welterweight. On his return Johnson was on a six fight winning streak in his more natural weight class of 205lbs. In his return match he took on Phil Davis who spent his airtime during the led up to the event campaigning for a title shot against champ Jon Jones (more on him in a bit). Johnson nullified the NCAA Wrestling Champ on all eight takedown attempts and picked Davis off at will earning a decision win. It should be interesting to see who the UFC decides to put against him in his next fight. They moved him from being ranked 14^th up to 5^th which I think is about right but he him self might not. During the post fight press conference Johnson says he is now where near ready for a shot at the title. I think he’s just saying that to the media but behind the scenes he might not want to open the discussion of a possible title fight between him and his teammate and #2 ranked Light Heavyweigh Rashad Evans.

Jon Jones Continues to Surprise Us

Now I will admit I thought that this was the end of the line for the great Bones Jones but I was wrong but hey! I wasn’t the only one but like jones does every time he steps into the cage he surprised us. Jones played right into Glover Teixeira’s game plan as he out struck him in both the pocket and in the clinch but what was more gut-wrenching were these elbow jerks that Jones applied to Teixeira which might have dislocated his shoulder as in between the 1^st and 2^nd round Teixeira asked for his shoulder to be iced. But Jones cruised to a sweep of all five rounds by all three judges and now is set to take on Alexander Gustafuson in a rematch of their Fight of the Year fight from last year. A fight that pushed the champ to the limit but for now the champ just plans to enjoy this one before he thinks about anyone.

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