The UFC’s 17th promotional visit to London remained mostly cold, as only four of the 13 bouts ended in finishes. However, one fight stood out from the rest and thoroughly entertained the fans. The promotion awarded the fighters a hefty $100K bonus, though one competitor also had to be sent to the hospital for mandatory checkups.

According to a report by MMA Mania, the UFC transferred Axel Sola to the hospital for precautionary CT scan checkups after his 15-minute lightweight barnburner against Mason Jones at UFC London.

In the featured prelim bout, Jones and Sola had the entire O2 Arena on the edge of their seats as they put on a proper phone booth scrap. Both 155-ers collectively landed 175 significant strikes, but the Welshman ended up landing the majority of them, hitting 110 significant strikes, with 76 aimed at the Frenchman’s head. At one point, one of ‘The Dragon’s’ strikes opened up a nasty cut on Sola’s face, marking the most gruesome moment of the entire night.

Even though both fighters tried their best, neither was able to score a knockout victory. So, the result ultimately went to the judges, who declared Mason Jones the winner via unanimous decision. After the winner was announced, many expected the bout to earn Fight of the Night honors, and Dana White didn’t disappoint as he awarded them $100K bonus after the show they put on for the London audience.

The UFC London fighters will surely be happy to receive the bonus and all the glory that comes with it. However, it wouldn’t be a stretch to say both will take a significant amount of time off to recover from the injuries they sustained during the matchup, especially Axel Sola. His nasty cut reminded many of how Cory Sandhagen slashed Song Yadong’s right eyebrow in the UFC Vegas 60 main event. 

Even though both warriors engaged in a highly intense firefight, they showed plenty of respect to each other inside the Octagon and maintained that same friendliness outside the cage as well.

UFC London fighters share respect after a proper scrap

Following the fight, the winner Mason Jones credited Axel Sola for putting on a solid competition, admitting the Frenchman hit hard. Their respect for each other didn’t stop inside the Octagon either. They also shared a moment after their UFC London fight, which ended in a bonus-worthy performance, exchanging nothing but encouraging words.

“Takes two to make a war 🏴🇫🇷 Respect 🤝,” Jones wrote on his Instagram while posting a picture with Sola in front of a bar. Soon, the Frenchman replied, “I had a lot of fun sharing this moment with you @masonjones95. All the best for your shot at the top 15 🙌.”

And the other show of respect was from the man who had the seat closest to the action – referee Marc Goddard, who officiated the bout. “Mason Jones & Axel Sola – you are what I tell people MMA is. You make lasting memories and cement the privilege that I never forget I carry. Take a bow, both of you. Thank you,” he wrote on X.

He also clarified a fan’s query about the cut on Sola’s face, writing, “The Dr comes in between each round, observes & makes assessment. The Cutman also performed so well. Everybody done their job, admirably. Any 3rd party intervention is kept to a minimum, that’s why a fight like that can shine & the stage is theirs.”

It’s always great to see fighters showing respect after damaging each other in a proper scrap. While the Welsh and French fighters entertained the crowd and exceeded expectations, a veteran like Michael ‘Venom’ Page received plenty of backlash for putting on a snoozer even against a prospect.

That said, as Mason Jones ended up victorious at UFC London, who do you think should be next for him? Also, when do you think Axel Sola will return after sustaining that nasty cut? Let us know in the comments section below.