A 13-fight card in the UFC APEX, UFC Vegas 88 featured seven finishes, including six submissions, and one bizarre no-contest.
With the fallout of the eventful fight card, no fight was given the Fight of the Night bonus but four fighters were awarded Performance of the Night. Marcin Tybura, Macy Chiasson, Jafel Filho, and Jaqueline Amorim all took home an extra $50,000 for their first-round submission wins.
The co-main event arguably created the biggest story of the night despite resulting in a no-contest as Bryan Battle and Ange Loosa nearly came to blows in the center of the Octagon after the official decision. After the fight, Battle noted that he would be open to a rematch anytime, potentially setting the table for a heated rivalry.
Of the action on March 16, here are three highlights worth a look if you missed the card.
1. Jaqueline Amorim submits Cory McKenna despite referee blunder
Jaqueline Amorim put on a grappling clinic 🔒 #UFCVegas88 pic.twitter.com/O6NiKRXEJ8
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) March 16, 2024
Jaqueline Amorim entered her third UFC fight as an underdog but quickly reminded fans of her grappling prowess as a former Brazilian jiu-jitsu world champion. With a first-round submission of Cory McKenna, Amorim improved to 2-1 in the UFC while earning the first submission of the night.
In just over a minute into the fight, Amorim threw a body kick that was caught by McKenna and used to advance towards a takedown. Not defending, Amorim jumped into full guard and took less than a minute to lock McKenna into a triangle choke.
The triangle choke should have been the finish for Amorim but briefly believing he saw a tap, referee Mike Beltran yelled for a stop before waving himself off and prompting the fighters to continue. In an awkward exchange, Amorim released the submission, allowing McKenna to escape the triangle choke, but swiftly transitioned into an armbar that would officially end the fight.