Jennifer Maia may have just established herself as the next No. 1 contender in the women’s flyweight division, and she padded her bank account in the process.
Maia received a $50,000 “Performance of the Night” award for a first-round submission triumph over Joanne Calderwood in the UFC Fight Night 173 co-main event at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas on Saturday night. After being taken down by her Scottish foe, the Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt transitioned from an omaplata to an armbar to elicit the tapout at the 4:29 mark of the frame.
Elsewhere, Vicente Luque continued to live up to his reputation as a finisher, earning a $50,000 “Performance of the Night” for his stoppage of Randy Brown in featured welterweight tilt.