The Ultimate Fighter 27 Finale Full Fight Card, Date & Details
The Ultimate Fighter 27 Finale
United States
Main Card • Final
Nigeria
R5, 5:00
Performance of the Night
R3, 5:00
TUF 27 Final
Canada
R3, 5:00
TUF 27 Final
England
R3, 5:00
Fight of the Night
Mexico
R2, 3:32
Italy
R3, 5:00
Prelims • Final
R3, 4:21
R1, 3:32
Performance of the Night
Ireland
R3, 5:00
Costa Rica
R3, 5:00
Early Prelims • Final
R3, 5:00
R2, 4:55
Poland
Official Event Results
$50k Bonus
TUF 27 Final
TUF 27 Final
$50k FOTN
Official Post-Fight Bonus Awards
$50,000 Post-Fight Bonus Recipients
Fight of the Night: Alex Caceres and Martín Bravo were awarded $50,000 each for their blistering three-round featherweight slugfest.
Performance of the Night: Israel Adesanya earned $50,000 for his dominant five-round striking clinic over veteran Brad Tavares in the main event.
Performance of the Night: Luis Peña earned $50,000 for his dynamic first-round guillotine choke submission of Richie Smullen.
Reported Payouts & Disclosed Purses
Fighter Purses & Total Payout Estimates
| Fighter | Result | Base Purse | Win / Finish Bonus | Performance Bonus | Estimated Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WIN | $56,000 | $56,000 | $50,000 | $162,000 | |
| WIN | $42,000 | $42,000 | $50,000 | $134,000 | |
| LOSS | $25,000 | — | $50,000 | $75,000 | |
| WIN | $10,000 | $10,000 | $50,000 | $70,000 | |
| LOSS | $56,000 | — | — | $56,000 | |
| WIN | $25,000 | $25,000 | — | $50,000 | |
| WIN | $18,000 | $18,000 | — | $39,600 | |
| WIN | $18,000 | $18,000 | — | $36,000 | |
| WIN | $15,000 | $15,000 | — | $30,000 | |
| WIN | $15,000 | $15,000 | — | $30,000 | |
| WIN | $12,000 | $12,000 | — | $24,000 | |
| WIN | $10,000 | $10,000 | — | $20,000 | |
| WIN | $10,000 | $10,000 | — | $20,000 | |
| WIN | $10,000 | $10,000 | — | $20,000 | |
| LOSS | $15,000 | — | — | $15,000 | |
| LOSS | $15,000 | — | — | $15,000 | |
| LOSS | $14,000 | — | — | $14,000 | |
| LOSS | $12,000 | — | — | $12,000 | |
| LOSS | $12,000 | — | — | $12,000 | |
| LOSS | $10,000 | — | — | $10,000 | |
| LOSS | $10,000 | — | — | $10,000 | |
| LOSS | $10,000 | — | — | $10,000 | |
| LOSS | $10,000 | — | — | $10,000 | |
| LOSS | $12,000 | — | — | $8,400 |
*Disclosed fighter purses officially reported to the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC). Julian Marquez was fined 30% of his purse ($3,600) for missing weight at 190 lbs, which was awarded to Alessio Di Chirico. Estimated totals include official post-fight performance bonus awards ($50,000 each).
Historic UFC Records Set
Promotional Records Established at The Ultimate Fighter 27 Finale
Israel Adesanya headlined his first UFC card, out-landing veteran Brad Tavares 119 to 40 in significant strikes to earn a unanimous decision and Performance of the Night honors.
The Ultimate Fighter 27: Undefeated made reality television history as the first and only season where every competing tournament athlete held an undefeated professional record.
SBG Ireland standout Brad Katona dominated Jay Cucciniello with two knockdowns and clean 30-26 scorecards across all judges to capture the TUF 27 Featherweight crown.
Team Cormier lightweight Michael Trizano edged team counterpart Joe Giannetti via split decision to earn the TUF 27 Lightweight trophy and a guaranteed six-figure contract.
After being forced out of the tournament semifinals with a broken foot, Luis Peña returned on the finale to submit Richie Smullen via first-round guillotine choke in 3:32, winning a $50,000 bonus.
Alex Caceres and Martín Bravo combined to throw 573 total strikes over 15 frantic minutes, producing a razor-thin split decision for Caceres and the Fight of the Night award.
MMA pioneer Roxanne Modafferi claimed her first career UFC stoppage finish, unleashing a barrage of ground elbows from mount to stop former Invicta champion Barb Honchak at 3:32 of Round 2.
Gerald Meerschaert recovered from an opening-round knockdown against Oskar Piechota, rallying to lock in a rear-naked choke submission with just five seconds left in Round 2.
Future top-ranked featherweight contender Bryce “Thug Nasty” Mitchell won his official UFC debut, surviving deep submission attempts to defeat Tyler Diamond via majority decision.
Jay Cucciniello advanced to the tournament final as an injury alternate, becoming the first fighter eliminated in the opening episode of his season to fight his way back into a TUF finale.
The event drew a capacity crowd of 2,123 fans inside the Pearl Concert Theater at Palms Casino Resort, generating an official live gate of $293,615.50 during International Fight Week.
The finale set the stage for TUF 27 opposing head coaches Stipe Miocic and Daniel Cormier, who clashed the following night at UFC 226 for the undisputed UFC Heavyweight Championship.
When and where did The Ultimate Fighter 27 Finale take place?
The Ultimate Fighter 27 Finale took place on Friday, July 6, 2018, at the Pearl Concert Theater at Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Who won the main event between Brad Tavares and Israel Adesanya?
Israel Adesanya defeated Brad Tavares via unanimous decision (49–46, 50–45, 50–45) over five rounds in his first career UFC main event.
Who won the TUF 27 lightweight tournament?
Michael Trizano defeated Joe Giannetti via split decision (29–28, 28–29, 29–28) to become The Ultimate Fighter 27 lightweight tournament champion.
Who won the TUF 27 featherweight tournament?
Brad Katona defeated Jay Cucciniello via unanimous decision (30–26, 30–26, 30–26) to capture The Ultimate Fighter 27 featherweight title.
Who won post-fight bonuses at The Ultimate Fighter 27 Finale?
Four fighters received $50,000 bonuses: Alex Caceres vs. Martín Bravo earned Fight of the Night, while Israel Adesanya and Luis Peña were awarded Performance of the Night.
Why did Luis Peña fight on the finale if he wasn’t in the tournament final?
Peña suffered a broken foot during his opening-round tournament win in the TUF house, forcing him out of the competition. Dana White promised him a finale bout once cleared, where he submitted Richie Smullen in Round 1 and earned a $50,000 bonus.
Why was Season 27 of The Ultimate Fighter named “Undefeated”?
The entire cast comprised 16 fighters (8 featherweights and 8 lightweights) who all held unblemished, undefeated professional mixed martial arts records prior to entering the tournament.
Who were the coaches for The Ultimate Fighter Season 27?
UFC Heavyweight Champion Stipe Miocic and UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Daniel Cormier coached opposing teams throughout the season before clashing the next night at UFC 226.
What was the official attendance and gate for the event?
The event drew a capacity crowd of 2,123 spectators, generating an official live gate of $293,615.50 inside the Pearl Concert Theater.
How was The Ultimate Fighter 27 Finale broadcast?
The main card and preliminary card aired live nationally on Fox Sports 1, with the early preliminary bouts streaming on UFC Fight Pass.
Who were the commentators and announcer for the event?
The cage-side commentary booth featured play-by-play caller Brendan Fitzgerald alongside color analyst Jimmy Smith, with Bruce Buffer serving as the official Octagon announcer.
Did any fighter miss weight at the TUF 27 Finale?
Yes. Julian Marquez weighed in at 190 lbs (4 lbs over the middleweight non-title limit) and was fined 30% of his purse, which was awarded to Alessio Di Chirico.
What was the Fight of the Night at the TUF 27 Finale?
Alex Caceres and Martín Bravo took home Fight of the Night honors for their fast-paced featherweight slugfest, which saw Caceres secure a split decision victory.
Did Bryce Mitchell make his official UFC debut at this event?
Yes. After reaching the tournament semifinals on the show, Bryce Mitchell earned a majority decision win over fellow semifinalist Tyler Diamond in his official promotional debut.
Had Roxanne Modafferi and Barb Honchak fought before this event?
Yes. The two originally fought in October 2011, where Honchak won via submission. Modafferi avenged that loss almost seven years later with a second-round TKO via elbows.
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