“My mother won’t cry a third time in a row—it’s the other mother that will cry.” That’s what Elves Brener had told MMA Fighting before Saturday night’s banger against Esteban Ribovics. Unfortunately for Brener, his two-fight losing streak was extended to three during UFC Vegas 108. However, even Ribovics didn’t leave UFC Apex unscathed. 

Even though Ribovics improved his record to 15-2 (4-2 in the UFC) with a high-energy, striking-heavy battle, which earned him a unanimous decision victory, with 29-28, 30-27, and 30-27 across the scorecards, the Argentinian lightweight had to be rushed to the hospital after the fight. Carlos Contreras Legaspi of ESPN Deportes shared the update on X.

“After the fight, Esteban Ribovics was taken to the hospital for a medical check-up. There will be no post-fight interviews,” Legaspi revealed on X. At the time of writing, no further details about his health have been shared publicly. There is a chance that the trip to the Vegas hospital was part of a routine precautionary measure. However, despite Ribovics’ hospital trip and Brener’s third consecutive loss, both men will be going home happier, as Dana White handed out a rare pair of Fight of the Night bonuses.

Legaspi revealed on X, not just one, but two Fight of the Night candidates, with all four fighters involved receiving generous rewards. Besides Ribovics and Brener, Chris Duncan and Mateusz Rebecki were also given Fight of the Night bonuses. “Two FOTN. Ribovics vs Brenner, [and] Rebecki vs Duncan,” Legaspi wrote on X.

Usually, the UFC hands out bonuses for a couple of finishes and the best fight of the night, but on Saturday’s card, Dana White appeared to view both bouts as worthy of the $50,000 bonuses. Alongside the high-octane battle between Ribovics and Brener, Duncan and Rebecki delivered an intense clash in the co-main event.

Their fight, an absolute war, left both men bruised and battered, and by the end, the 15-minute contest saw Duncan get his hand raised via unanimous decision. Interestingly, this was Ribovics’ third Fight of the Night bonus, having previously won it against Nasrat Haqparast and Daniel Zellhuber.

Regardless, UFC’s move to award two Fight of the Night Bonuses left even the pros stunned.

Diego Lopez, Dustin Poirier, and others react to Esteban Ribovics and others receiving FOTN bonuses

The two fights at UFC Vegas 108 delivered fireworks, earning Fight of the Night bonuses and praise from fellow fighters as well. Diego Lopes was quick to highlight the rarity of two FOTN awards in one event, tweeting, “Two fight of the night?” Meanwhile, former lightweight champion Dustin Poirier applauded the warriors, saying, “Bravo men!! What a WAR!! You both should be proud 🫡.” 

UFC legend Henry Cejudo called the Duncan vs. Rebecki bout an “absolute war,” praising the overall quality of the main card. Coach Eric Albarracin also chimed in, impressed by the intensity, “Wow two Fight’s of the night bonuses. Can the main event continue the excitement?” Rising star Kai Kamaka III shared his amazement at the high-level competition, adding, “These fights back to back!!! Crazy.”

Two Fight of the Night bonuses may be rare, but the performances in these bouts unquestionably earned them—it’s a clear step in the right direction. What did you think of the fights?