UFC Vegas 97 Bonuses: Steve Garcia, Cody Durden, Jessica Andrade, and Natalia Earn $50,000 Extra from Dana White and Co

The UFC octagon remained in Vegas for another exciting Fight Night, featuring a welterweight clash featuring welterweights Sean Brady and Gilbert Burns. While the main event was a back-and-forth war, the co-main eventer is what captivated the community. And of course, Uncle Dana showed his ‘generosity’ yet again, handing out four $50k bonuses.

Saturday’s co-main eventer between Jessica Andrade and Natalia Silva was an absolute banger with both earning the bossman’s Fight of the Night bonuses. In fact, the 27-year-old Silva came out guns blazing to outpoint the former strawweight champion over the course of three rounds and earn herself a unanimous decision win to extend her record to 6-0.

These two put on a show 👏@JessicaMMAPro & @NataliaSilvaUFC are the #UFCVegas97 FOTN!

[ B2YB @ToyoTires ] pic.twitter.com/Let1qimV8F

— UFC (@ufc) September 8, 2024

 

Besides the thrilling co-main event, American lightweight Steve ‘Mean Machine’ Garcia secured a Performance of the Night bonus for his first-round TKO victory over Kyle Nelson. Cody Durden also bagged an extra $50k for his brilliant second-round submission giving fans yet another exciting contest in the flyweight category.

These were some of the standout performances from Saturday and it’s safe to say that it was an appetizer before the action moves to the Sphere next week for the “greatest live sporting event.”

Now, let us take a look at the barnburner of a co-main event and see how Silva overcame the former champ.

Silva outpoints Andrade putting with striking masterclass

Brazil’s Jessica Andrade had the momentum on her side, coming off a split-decision win at UFC 300. Prior to that, she had finished fan favorite Mckenzie Dern to bounce back from a dismal three-fight losing streak.

But Silva proved too much for the 32-year-old as the flyweight really dug deep despite the ex-champ’s early barrages. Weathering the storm, she mustered on and put her stinging jab to good use to outgun her opponent to cruise herself to a comfortable unanimous decision win.

In fact, in her biggest test to date, Natalia put on a striking masterclass, keeping the older experienced fighter guessing mixing things up with well-timed leg kicks and crisp jabs.

While Andrade tried to pummel her opponent, Silva knew her number and dispatched her, unleashing sharp combinations mixed with a whole arsenal of kicks including very impressive spinning wheel kicks.

But it was the timing of her strikes that made the difference and seeing the bout go down the way it did  it is safe to say that her jab did what it was meant to – to disrupt her opponent’s rhythm, catching her right on the tracks!