Short-Notice UFC Main Event Ends In Brutal TKO, $400K In Bonuses

Johnny Walker and Waldo Cortes-Acosta stepped in on short notice to replace Gabriel Bonfim vs. Sean Brady as the new main event for UFC Vegas 124, and delivered in a heavyweight brawl. Walker finished in the third round, winning by TKO after a question-mark kick and a back-hammer fist wobbled Cortes-Acosta, followed by a punch that sent him down and ground-and-pound that forced referee Jason Herzog to stop it. The fight earned Fight of the Night. UFC bonuses also went to Elijah Smith (60-second destruction of Davey Grant), Austin Bashi (rear-naked choke in 67 seconds), Jose Henrique Souza (opening-round KO), Andre Petroski and Nina Nikolija Milosevic (second-round TKOs), plus Thomas Petersen’s 13-second buzzer-beater over Gabriel Lourenco.