On December 2, Arman Tsarukyan achieved the significant victory he had been seeking, securing a notable win for his record. In the main event of UFC Austin, he emerged victorious against Beneil Dariush, delivering a 64-second knockout at Moody Center in Austin, Texas. With this triumph, Tsarukyan has propelled himself forward in the Lightweight division, setting the stage for upcoming major challenges at 155 lbs.
The co-main event was no less intense, as it saw Jalin Turner secure a resounding victory over Bobby Green at UFC Austin, dominating the fight with relentless success. Despite his impressive return to form on Saturday night, where he ultimately achieved a first-round knockout of Green, much of the post-bout attention focused on referee Kerry Hatley’s alarmingly delayed stoppage.
JALIN TURNER ON SHORT NOTICE KNOCKS OUT BONNY GREEN THREE TIMES #UFCAustin pic.twitter.com/yaMOV9qsVy
— Spinnin Backfist (@SpinninBackfist) December 3, 2023
Many fighters expressed concerns and called for accountability, highlighting Hatley’s unsafe handling of the situation during the co-headlining bout. All in all, it was a great success for the world’s biggest MMA promotion, as UFC Austin, is being considered one of the best fight nights of the year.
After a remarkable evening in Texas, the UFC demonstrated its generosity. After the UFC on ESPN 52 in Austin, Texas, on December 2, a total of $500,000 in bonus money was distributed among the athletes.
This comprised $50,000 ‘Performance of the Night’ bonuses awarded to eight fighters on the card who successfully secured finishes: Arman Tsarukyan, Jalin Turner, Sean Brady, Dustin Stoltzfus, Miesha Tate, Cody Brundage, Drakkar Klose, and Jared Gooden.
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Rodolfo Bellato was the sole finisher who did not receive a ‘Performance of the Night’ bonus. However, this was not due to a lack of recognition; rather, he and his opponent, Ihor Potieria, were jointly awarded ‘Fight of the Night’ honors for their intense and back-and-forth Light Heavyweight clash.
What was the gate revenue and attendance for UFC Austin?
UFC boss Dana White revealed in the post-fight media conference that this Fight Night was special for more reasons than one. Not only was it a great card with some excellent performances, but it also broke several records when it came to the numbers.
White revealed that attendance for the event at the Moody Center in Austin, Texas, was 14,485 and the gate revenue earned was $2.45 million. This number is massive, and it was also the highest-grossing event to date for this particular venue.
Moreover, the UFC CEO disclosed that the gate revenue earned was also record-breaking when it came to a fight night in the United States of America.