UFC Fight Night: Rivera vs. Moraes Full Fight Card, Date & Details
UFC Fight Night: Rivera vs. Moraes
United States
Main Card • Final
Brazil
R1, 0:33
Performance of the Night
Puerto Rico
R2, 4:06
Performance of the Night
R2, 4:59
R1, 1:56
Performance of the Night
R3, 2:55
Sweden
R3, 5:00
Prelims • Final
R3, 5:00
R3, 5:00
Palestine
R3, 5:00
R3, 5:00
Early Prelims • Final
England
R2, 2:18
Performance of the Night
R2, 2:55
Official Event Results
$50k POTN
Official Post-Fight Bonus Awards
$50,000 Post-Fight Bonus Recipients
Fight of the Night: No Fight of the Night bonus was awarded for this event.
Performance of the Night ($50,000 each): Four fighters earned $50,000 Performance of the Night honors: Marlon Moraes (0:33 head-kick KO), Gregor Gillespie (R2 arm-triangle submission), Ben Saunders (first-round liver knee TKO), and Nathaniel Wood (R2 D’Arce choke submission in promotional debut).
Reported Payouts & Disclosed Purses
Fighter Purses & Total Payout Estimates
| Fighter | Result | Base Purse | Win / Finish Bonus | Performance Bonus | Estimated Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WIN | — | — | $50,000 | — | |
| LOSS | — | — | — | — | |
| WIN | — | — | $50,000 | — | |
| LOSS | — | — | — | — | |
| WIN | — | — | — | — | |
| LOSS | — | — | — | — | |
| WIN | — | — | $50,000 | — | |
| LOSS | — | — | — | — | |
| WIN | — | — | — | — | |
| LOSS | — | — | — | — | |
| WIN | — | — | — | — | |
| LOSS | — | — | — | — | |
| WIN | — | — | — | — | |
| LOSS | — | — | — | — | |
| WIN | — | — | — | — | |
| LOSS | — | — | — | — | |
| WIN | — | — | — | — | |
| LOSS | — | — | — | — | |
| WIN | — | — | — | — | |
| LOSS | — | — | — | — | |
| WIN | — | — | $50,000 | — | |
| LOSS | — | — | — | — | |
| WIN | — | — | — | — | |
| LOSS | — | — | — | — |
*Purses are not publicly disclosed by the New York State Athletic Commission (NYSAC). Contractual base purses and win bonuses remain private and are marked with (—). Listed amounts reflect official post-fight performance bonus awards ($50,000 each) confirmed by the promotion.
Historic UFC Records Set
Promotional Records Established at UFC Fight Night: Rivera vs. Moraes
Marlon Moraes brought an end to Jimmie Rivera’s 20-fight overall winning streak (and 5-0 UFC run), which was the second-longest active winning streak across all of MMA at the time.
Moraes’s 33-second head-kick knockout of Rivera stood as the third-fastest knockout finish in UFC bantamweight division history.
Marlon Moraes became one of the rare bantamweights in UFC history to score consecutive stoppage finishes in under 70 seconds (1:07 KO of Aljamain Sterling and 0:33 KO of Jimmie Rivera).
Jarred Brooks knocked himself unconscious attempting to slam Jose Torres at 2:55 of Round 2, marking only the second self-inflicted knockout from a slam in UFC history (following Matt Hughes vs. Carlos Newton at UFC 34).
Two-division Titan FC champion Jose Torres became the first fighter in modern promotional history to win his UFC debut via a slam-induced knockout finish.
Ben Saunders became only the fourth fighter in UFC history to finish a bout via a knee to the body (liver) against veteran Jake Ellenberger at 1:56 of Round 1.
Former Cage Warriors bantamweight champion Nathaniel Wood made an electrifying UFC debut, submitting veteran Johnny Eduardo via D’Arce choke at 2:18 of Round 2 to claim a $50,000 bonus.
Long Island wrestling standout Gregor Gillespie advanced to 12-0 (5-0 UFC), scoring his fourth consecutive stoppage victory by submitting Vinc Pichel via arm-triangle choke.
The inaugural UFC event in Utica, New York drew 5,063 fans and generated a $322,825 live gate, establishing a venue record for mixed martial arts.
Sweden’s David Teymur extended his UFC winning streak to five consecutive bouts with a clean 30–27 striking sweep against seasoned veteran Nik Lentz.
Belal Muhammad improved to 14-2 (5-2 UFC), sweeping all three scorecards 30–27 against promotional newcomer Chance Rencountre.
Walt Harris halted Daniel Spitz at 4:59 of Round 2, tying for the latest second-round stoppage in UFC heavyweight history with just one second remaining.
When and where did UFC Fight Night: Rivera vs. Moraes take place?
UFC Fight Night: Rivera vs. Moraes (also recognized as UFC Fight Night 131 or UFC Utica) took place on Friday, June 1, 2018, at the Adirondack Bank Center in Utica, New York.
Who won the main event between Jimmie Rivera and Marlon Moraes?
Marlon Moraes defeated Jimmie Rivera via KO (head kick and punches) at 0:33 of Round 1, snapping Rivera’s 20-fight winning streak.
How fast was Marlon Moraes’s knockout of Jimmie Rivera?
Moraes landed a switch head kick that dropped Rivera in just 33 seconds of the first round, followed by clean ground punches to seal the referee stoppage.
Who won the post-fight bonuses at UFC Fight Night: Rivera vs. Moraes?
No Fight of the Night was awarded. Four fighters earned $50,000 Performance of the Night bonuses: Marlon Moraes, Gregor Gillespie, Ben Saunders, and Nathaniel Wood.
What happened in the bizarre fight between Jarred Brooks and Jose Torres?
Jarred Brooks attempted a high-impact slam on Jose Torres at 2:55 of Round 2, but landed awkwardly on his own head and neck, knocking himself unconscious. Torres followed up with punches to claim a TKO victory in his UFC debut.
How did Gregor Gillespie defeat Vinc Pichel in the co-main event?
Undefeated lightweight Gregor Gillespie completed seven takedowns before locking in an arm-triangle choke at 4:06 of Round 2 to improve his record to 12-0.
How did Ben Saunders finish Jake Ellenberger?
Ben Saunders landed a perfectly placed knee directly to Jake Ellenberger’s liver from the Thai clinch, crumpling him to the canvas for a TKO finish at 1:56 of Round 1.
What was the outcome of Nathaniel Wood’s UFC debut against Johnny Eduardo?
England’s Nathaniel Wood impressed in his promotional debut, submitting veteran Johnny Eduardo with a D’Arce choke at 2:18 of Round 2 and earning a $50,000 Performance of the Night bonus.
Who won the light heavyweight bout between Sam Alvey and Gian Villante?
Sam Alvey scored a first-round knockdown and edged Gian Villante via split decision (29–28, 28–29, 29–28) in a three-round light heavyweight contest.
How did David Teymur perform against Nik Lentz?
Sweden’s David Teymur showcased exceptional takedown defense, stuffing all five of Lentz’s takedown attempts and outstriking him to win via unanimous decision (30–27, 30–27, 29–28).
What occurred in the fight between Sijara Eubanks and Lauren Murphy?
TUF 26 finalist Sijara Eubanks landed 75 significant strikes and two takedowns to defeat Lauren Murphy via unanimous decision (30–27, 30–27, 29–28).
Why was the strawweight bout between Jessica Aguilar and Jodie Esquibel cancelled?
The bout was cancelled on the day of the event by the New York State Athletic Commission (NYSAC) due to a medical concern regarding a facial infection on Aguilar, and was later rescheduled for UFC Fight Night 133.
What were the attendance and live gate figures for UFC Utica?
The event drew a crowd of 5,063 fans at the Adirondack Bank Center, generating a total live gate of $322,825.
Who were the commentators for UFC Fight Night: Rivera vs. Moraes?
The cage-side broadcast was called by play-by-play lead Jon Anik alongside color analyst Jimmy Smith, with Bruce Buffer serving as the Octagon announcer.
What winning streak did Jimmie Rivera carry into this fight?
Jimmie Rivera had not lost a mixed martial arts fight in over nine years, carrying a 20-fight winning streak (including wins over Urijah Faber, Pedro Munhoz, and Thomas Almeida) before being stopped by Moraes.
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