UFC Fight Night: Korean Zombie vs. Rodriguez Full Fight Card, Date & Details
UFC Fight Night: The Korean Zombie vs. Rodríguez
United States
Main Card • Final
Mexico
R5, 4:59
Fight of the Night
Performance of the Night
South Korea
R1, 4:46
Performance of the Night
Netherlands
R3, 5:00
R3, 5:00
Brazil
R2, 2:01
R3, 5:00
Prelims • Final
R3, 5:00
R2, 2:43
R1, 1:57
R1, 0:46
Early Prelims • Final
R3, 5:00
R3, 5:00
Official Event Results
Official Post-Fight Bonus Awards
$50,000 Post-Fight Bonus Recipients
Fight of the Night: Yair Rodríguez and Chan Sung Jung each earned $50,000 for their epic 25-minute battle that culminated in the latest knockout in UFC history.
Performance of the Night: Yair Rodríguez collected an additional $50,000 (totaling $100,000 in bonuses) for his miraculous upward elbow finish, while Donald Cerrone took home $50,000 for his record-breaking first-round armbar submission of Mike Perry.
Reported Payouts & Disclosed Purses
Fighter Purses & Total Payout Estimates
| Fighter | Result | Base Purse | Win / Finish Bonus | Performance Bonus | Estimated Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WIN | $160,000 | $160,000 | $50,000 | $370,000 | |
| WIN | $50,000 | $50,000 | $100,000 | $200,000 | |
| WIN | $60,000 | $60,000 | — | $130,200 | |
| LOSS | $75,000 | — | $50,000 | $125,000 | |
| WIN | $50,000 | $50,000 | — | $100,000 | |
| LOSS | $55,000 | — | — | $55,000 | |
| WIN | $24,000 | $24,000 | — | $48,000 | |
| LOSS | $51,000 | — | — | $40,800 | |
| WIN | $18,000 | $18,000 | — | $36,000 | |
| WIN | $16,000 | $16,000 | — | $32,000 | |
| WIN | $15,000 | $15,000 | — | $30,000 | |
| WIN | $12,000 | $12,000 | — | $24,000 | |
| WIN | $12,000 | $12,000 | — | $24,000 | |
| WIN | $12,000 | $12,000 | — | $24,000 | |
| NC | $20,000 | — | — | $20,000 | |
| NC | $10,000 | — | — | $10,000 | |
| LOSS | $16,000 | — | — | $16,000 | |
| LOSS | $14,000 | — | — | $14,000 | |
| LOSS | $14,000 | — | — | $14,000 | |
| LOSS | $14,000 | — | — | $14,000 | |
| LOSS | $12,000 | — | — | $12,000 | |
| LOSS | $12,000 | — | — | $12,000 | |
| LOSS | $12,000 | — | — | $12,000 | |
| LOSS | $10,000 | — | — | $10,000 |
*Purses are compiled from industry reporting, historical contract scales, and post-fight bonuses. Raquel Pennington missed weight by 2 pounds (138 lbs) and forfeited 20% of her base purse ($10,200) to Germaine de Randamie. Official performance bonuses of $50,000 each are included in the Estimated Total column (with Yair Rodríguez receiving a double bonus of $100,000). Figures exclude promotional compliance pay and discretionary bonuses.
Historic UFC Records Set
Promotional Records Established at UFC Fight Night: The Korean Zombie vs. Rodríguez
Yair Rodríguez knocked out Chan Sung Jung with a miraculous ducking upward reverse elbow at 4:59 of Round 5 (24:59 total time), tying Demetrious Johnson at UFC 186 for the latest stoppage finish in UFC promotional history.
With his first-round armbar submission over Mike Perry, Donald Cerrone earned his 21st career UFC victory, breaking a three-way tie with Michael Bisping and Georges St-Pierre to become the winningest fighter in UFC history at the time.
Cerrone’s first-round submission was the 15th stoppage of his UFC career, breaking his tie with Vitor Belfort and Anderson Silva to stand alone with the most finishes in UFC history.
Held in the promotion’s birthplace of Denver, Colorado, this event officially commemorated the UFC’s 25th anniversary (UFC 1 was held on November 12, 1993, at Denver’s McNichols Sports Arena), featuring retro 1993 on-screen graphics and classic promotional branding.
Yair Rodríguez’s buzzer-beating upward elbow was universally named the 2018 Knockout of the Year by the World MMA Awards and remains hailed as one of the most stunning single-strike finishes in mixed martial arts history.
Yair Rodríguez captured both Fight of the Night and Performance of the Night honors, collecting $100,000 in official post-fight performance bonuses for his miraculous five-round war.
Chan Sung Jung (126) and Yair Rodríguez (119) combined to land 245 significant strikes across five relentless rounds, establishing a divisional record for a UFC bout held at mile-high elevation in Denver.
Contender Series breakout star Devonte Smith announced his Octagon arrival in thunderous fashion, needing only 46 seconds to knock out Julian Erosa in his promotional debut.
At just 20 years of age, undefeated prospect Maycee Barber became one of the youngest fighters in UFC history to score a TKO stoppage, battering Hannah Cifers with slicing elbows from mount.
Bobby Moffett’s second-round technical submission over Chas Skelly was subsequently overturned to a No Contest by the Colorado Office of Combative Sports following a formal review of referee Tim Mills’ controversial stoppage.
The card featured 4 split decisions (Shelton-Morales, De La Rosa-Sanchez, Yoder-Cooper, and Trizano-Peña), making it one of the most competitively split events in UFC history.
Donald Cerrone earned his 15th post-fight bonus award, maintaining his position as the most prolific bonus collector in modern UFC history alongside Nate Diaz and Joe Lauzon.
When and where did UFC Fight Night: The Korean Zombie vs. Rodríguez take place?
The event took place on Saturday, November 10, 2018, at the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado, commemorating the promotion’s 25th anniversary in the city where UFC 1 debuted.
Who won the main event between Yair Rodríguez and Chan Sung Jung?
Yair Rodríguez defeated Chan Sung Jung (“The Korean Zombie”) via KO (reverse upward elbow) at 4:59 of Round 5 in one of the most dramatic finishes in sports history.
What record did Yair Rodríguez’s knockout set?
Coming with just one second remaining in the fifth round (4:59), the knockout tied the all-time UFC record for the latest finish in a fight (24 minutes and 59 seconds), matching Demetrious Johnson’s submission of Kyoji Horiguchi at UFC 186.
Who won the co-main event between Donald Cerrone and Mike Perry?
Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone defeated Mike Perry via submission (armbar) at 4:46 of Round 1.
What promotional records did Donald Cerrone break at this event?
With his victory over Mike Perry, Donald Cerrone broke UFC all-time records for most wins in UFC history (21) and most stoppage finishes in UFC history (15) at the time.
Who won the post-fight bonuses at this event?
Yair Rodríguez vs. Chan Sung Jung earned Fight of the Night, while Yair Rodríguez and Donald Cerrone each took home Performance of the Night bonuses ($50,000 each, with Rodríguez banking $100,000 total).
Why was this event special for the UFC’s 25th Anniversary?
The event celebrated 25 years since UFC 1: The Beginning was held in Denver on November 12, 1993. The broadcast featured retro 1993 on-screen graphics, classic logos, and nostalgic video tributes.
Why was the Bobby Moffett vs. Chas Skelly result changed to a No Contest?
Moffett originally won via technical submission (D’Arce choke), but Skelly immediately protested that he had not tapped or passed out. Following a formal appeal, the Colorado Office of Combative Sports overturned the result to a No Contest due to premature referee stoppage.
Why was Germaine de Randamie vs. Raquel Pennington fought at a catchweight?
Raquel Pennington weighed in at 138 pounds, missing the bantamweight limit by two pounds. She was fined 20% of her purse, which went to De Randamie, who won a unanimous decision (30–27, 30–27, 30–27).
How did Maycee Barber perform in her UFC debut?
Undefeated 20-year-old Maycee Barber put on a vicious striking display, defeating Hannah Cifers via second-round TKO (elbows and punches) at 2:01 of Round 2.
How fast was Devonte Smith’s knockout of Julian Erosa?
Devonte Smith made quick work of Julian Erosa, securing a knockout in just 46 seconds of Round 1.
Who won the bout between Beneil Dariush and Thiago Moisés?
Beneil Dariush dominated newcomer Thiago Moisés with heavy top control and wrestling to win a lopsided unanimous decision (30–25, 30–25, 30–26).
What were the official attendance and gate numbers for UFC Denver 2018?
The event drew an official crowd of 11,426 fans generating a gate of $946,700 at the Pepsi Center.
Who called the fights at UFC Fight Night: The Korean Zombie vs. Rodríguez?
The commentary team was led by Jon Anik alongside color analysts Paul Felder and Daniel Cormier, with Bruce Buffer serving as the Octagon announcer.
How many total bouts took place on the card?
A total of 12 bouts took place: 6 on the main card, 4 on the preliminary card, and 2 on the early preliminary card.
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