According to UFC President Dana White at Saturday night’s post-fight press conference, 21,451 people brought in a live gate of $4.9 million to the Bell Centre in Montreal, Canada, to watch “UFC 97: Redemption.”
The UFC gave out their largest bonuses ever with $70,000 per fighter.
Sam Stout defeated Matt Wiman by unanimous decision in a fight that earned them $70,000 each for “Fight of the Night”. Mauricio “Shogun” Rua’s first round KO of Chuck Liddell earned him “Knockout of the Night” and Krzysztof Soszynski’s first round kimura win over Brian Stann earned him “Submisson of the Night.”
Following UFC 97, Dana White confirmed his friend, Chuck Liddell, would “be with him forever” as part of the UFC, but it was his last time in the Octagon. “You will never see him on that canvas again” said the UFC President.
By: Jack Bratcher