UFC boss Dana White said one of his fighters suffered 'a mental breakdown' in the middle of a bout
Alan Dawson
Kevin Holland and Derek Brunson.Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images
- Kevin Holland struggled in a five-round UFC main event Saturday.
- The UFC boss said Holland had 'a mental breakdown,' but Derek Brunson - who won - disagreed.
- See highlights from the other fights right here.
The world-leading MMA firm UFC continued its behind-closed-doors, coronavirus-era, residency at the Apex, a facility it owns in Las Vegas, on Saturday.
Derek Brunson fought Kevin Holland in a middleweight match that topped the event, and scored a unanimous decision win over the flashy fighter.
The UFC boss Dana White told reporters he thought Holland had "a mental breakdown" during the loss to Brunson, as he showboated throughout the bout. He even asked Nurmagomedov, who was Octagonside, for advice.
Source: Yahoo Sports!
"I don't know what he was doing," White said. "I think he might not have been able to handle the pressure and just broke mentally. I haven't seen anything like that."
Brunson did not agree with White's assessment and said Holland just couldn't handle the wrestling techniques that he was bringing to the fight.
"Dana White's one of these guys, he'll be upset with you, I'll come out the next fight and knock a guy out and he'll be happy again," said Brunson.
"It's all good."
One of the best bouts on the night was a heavyweight clash between Tai Tuivasa and Harry Hunsucker.
A renowned slugger, Tuivasa is a fan favorite in the UFC and, against Hunsucker, added another knockout to his highlight-reel.
A sequence featuring leg kicks, an overhand right, and a follow-up blow was enough to put Hunsucker down and out in 49 seconds as Tuivasa was determined to score an early finish.
Watch the knockout right here:
Though Tuivasa and Brunson won their fights, they did not win $50,000 cash bonuses, which tend to be reserved for thumping finishes or all-action fights.
Bruno Silva was one of the four fighters who received a bonus. The Brazilian competed in the first fight on the night, and knocked out JP Buys.
Silva had previously suffered back-to-back losses and so the thunderous finish may well have saved his UFC career.
See Silva's knockout win right here:
American lightweight Grant Dawson was the next athlete to score a bonus as he won by knockout with one second remaining on the clock.
Though he celebrated raucously, Dawson eventually appeared to be in a state of disbelief when it dawned on him how close the fight was heading toward the scorecards.
Watch Dawson's buzzer-beating knockout right here:
Silva and Dawson weren't the only ones to impress UFC management as the bantamweight Adrian Yanez also scooped a $50,000 check for his finish.
Though Yanez landed a flying knee in the bout, it was actually a counter right that he landed so powerfully it made his opponent Gustavo Lopez face-plant the deck.
Watch Yanez's third-round finisher right here:
Max Griffin was the final fighter to earn a bonus at the latest UFC show Saturday, as the American welterweight won by knockout in the first round.
Griffin's knockout was particularly nasty as he pumped a solid right hand into Song Kenan's face, before following-up with further shots to close the show.
Watch the Hollywood knockout right here:
Dana White's next UFC event is Saturday, March 27. UFC 260, a big pay-per-view event, features heavyweight studs Stipe Miocic and Francis Ngannou in a rematch.
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