Cody Garbrandt has his respect and the paycheck to go with it.
Meanwhile, Jeremy Stephens and Renan Barao received “Fight of the Night” honors and $50,000 apiece for their spirited slugfest in the featherweight co-main event. Barao got the better of Stephens in the opening stanza, but “Lil’ Heathen” turned the tide with a massive uppercut in round two and outlanded his foe the rest of the way to win an entertaining unanimous decision.
Finally, Jake Collier survived a broken nose to best Alberto Emiliano Pereira and capture the evening’s other $50,000 “Performance of the Night” bonus. Pereira blasted Collier’s nose with a knee from the clinch in the opening stanza, but the American recovered to finish his foe with a spinning back kick to the body 1:06 into the second frame.