At UFC 129, the Knockout of the Night bonus will be worth an all-time high $129,000. Jake Ellenberger may have just earned the biggest payday of his MMA career.
Ellenberger knocked out Sean Pierson with a brutal counter left hook in the first round of their fight in front of a record crowd estimated at 55,000 at the Rogers Centre in Toronto.
After that counter left hook knocked Pierson wobbly, Ellenberger landed another right hand on Pierson's way to the floor, and one more on the ground. Those two shots, however, were unnecessary: It was the left hook that finished Pierson.
When looking at the replay immediately after the fight, Ellenberger seemed shocked by how hard he had hit Pierson.
"I didn't realize I caught him that well," Ellenberger said. "He's a warrior. I hope he's OK."
The knockout looked ugly, but Pierson, whose MMA record fell to 11-5, quickly got up and appeared to be fine. Ellenberger, who improved his record to 24-5, looked even better than fine: He looked great.
Ellenberger knocked out Sean Pierson with a brutal counter left hook in the first round of their fight in front of a record crowd estimated at 55,000 at the Rogers Centre in Toronto.
After that counter left hook knocked Pierson wobbly, Ellenberger landed another right hand on Pierson's way to the floor, and one more on the ground. Those two shots, however, were unnecessary: It was the left hook that finished Pierson.
When looking at the replay immediately after the fight, Ellenberger seemed shocked by how hard he had hit Pierson.
"I didn't realize I caught him that well," Ellenberger said. "He's a warrior. I hope he's OK."
The knockout looked ugly, but Pierson, whose MMA record fell to 11-5, quickly got up and appeared to be fine. Ellenberger, who improved his record to 24-5, looked even better than fine: He looked great.