The Ultimate Fighting Championship held their second event in as many nights on Friday with The Ultimate Fighter 23 Finale at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. Women’s strawweight champion Joanna Jedrzejczyk retained her title in the fight card’s main
event while two new The Ultimate Fighters were crowned.
During the event’s post-fight press conference, the fight promotional announced the winners of the $50,000 fighter bonuses. Jedrzejczyk, Claudia Gadelha, Tatiana Suarez, and Doo Ho Choi earned the $50,000 performance-based incentives.
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Fight of the Night honors went to the main event bout between Jedrzejczyk and Gadelha. The rematch between the bitter rivals ended with Jedrzejczyk coming from behind after losing the first two rounds for the five-round title fight to earn a unanimous decision win and retain her belt.
The biggest winner from The Ultimate Fighter 23 Finale was Suarez, who won a custom Harley Davidson motorcycle, a trophy, a UFC contract, and a Performance of the Night award for her first-round submission of Amanda Cooper. Suarez won the strawweight portion of the competition and made history be becoming the first woman to win a fight via D’Arce choke in the UFC.
The second Performance of the Night bonus went to “The Korean Superboy,” Doo Ho Choi for his first-round knockout of Thiago Tavares in featherweight action. Choi landed a straight right hand that crumbled Tavares before finishing him with a follow-up punch.
The 12-fight card featured seven decisions, one submission, and four knockouts finishes.
