In a noteworthy UFC Fight Night: Andrade vs Blanchfield card, one particular bout that stood out for the fans was the prelim battle between Nazim Sadykhov and Evan Elder. The three-rounder saw both fighters go at it right from the get-go, landing some dangerously hard strikes multiple times.

Although Elder seemed to have the advantage on the judge’s scorecard, an unfortunate headbutt resulted in the fight getting called off early in the third round. Footage of the injury also clarified that it was the right call from the officials. Fans were quick to express their support for the 25-year-old Evan Elder despite the heartbreaking loss.

Fortunately for the American, in spite of the loss, his performance caught the eyes of the decision-makers at UFC. His and Sadykhov’s fight was announced as the Fight of The Night, giving him an extra $ 50,000 to take home. The clip of him finding out about the bonus has gone viral. The 25-year-old was clearly seen in disbelief as one of his teammates broke the news to him in the video. Interestingly, along with this banger of a bout, the event also saw another bizarre fight that left everyone watching it scratching their heads in confusion.

Evan Elder vs. Nazim Sadykhov wins the fight of the night at UFC Vegas 69

The prelim headliner between the Azerbaijan fighter and Elder was one amongst a few others that fans felt deserved the FOTY bonus. Another bout that could have been a contender was the Jim Miller and Alex Hernandez fight. The eventful battle saw the latter get his hand raised in a three-round battle.

But even though that fight was an interesting watch, Elder vs Sadykhov was definitely the frontrunner. Both the fighters kept an extremely high pace throughout the rounds while landing some dangerous strikes which even saw Sadykhov get dropped once. Elder also attempted a few takedowns, although without much success.

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From a fan’s perspective, if the fight would have completed all three rounds, it would have been a much better end to the story. Dana White shared the same sentiment. But despite the loss, Elder’s display of heart helped him win the FOTY bonus alongside Sadykhov. While fans were mostly certain that he deserved it, the fighter himself couldn’t believe it when he found out the news.

In a clip showing his interaction with a teammate, Elder’s pleasant surprise was quite obvious as he found out that he won the bonus.

When his friend informed him, his reaction to it displayed his disbelief: “Are you being serious??? You are lying. How do you know?” expressed the UFC lightweight.

Fan reactions collectively agreed that Elder deserved the bonus.

Elder suffers a gnarly injury, forcing officials to stop the fight

Unfortunately for the 25-year-old, he suffered a pretty nasty cut on top of his right eye. Although it seemed like a strike from Sadykhov had caused it, the Azerbaijani himself confirmed during the press conference that it was the result of a headbutt. Images of the injury also displayed a deep cut, which many felt was amongst the worst ones in recent UFC history.

One can’t help but commend the heart displayed by both fighters as they put up a banger of a fight for the fans. Both fighters can head home happy considering that they bagged a big bonus. And Elder’s reaction to finding out about it paved the way for the story to have a wholesome ending.

“UFC Least Self Aware Company”: Video of Evan Elder Crying After Winning Fight of the Night Bonus Divides Fans

What was your opinion on the fight? Should the doctors have allowed the fight to continue despite the injury? Let us know in the comment section.

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