UFC Fight Night: Swanson vs. Ortega Full Fight Card, Date & Details
UFC Fight Night: Swanson vs. Ortega
United States
Main Card • Final
R2, 3:22
Fight of the Night
Performance of the Night
Mexico
R3, 5:00
Brazil
R1, 1:07
Performance of the Night
R3, 5:00
R3, 5:00
R3, 5:00
Prelims • Final
Canada
R3, 5:00
R2, 1:06
R2, 1:54
Philippines
R3, 5:00
Georgia
Early Prelims • Final
R3, 5:00
R3, 0:50
R3, 2:27
Official Event Results
$50k FOTN
$50k Bonus
Official Post-Fight Bonus Awards
$50,000 Post-Fight Bonus Recipients
Fight of the Night: Brian Ortega and Cub Swanson earned $50,000 each for their exhilarating featherweight main event clash.
Performance of the Night: Brian Ortega doubled up on post-fight honors, taking home an additional $50,000 for his dramatic second-round jumping guillotine choke submission over Cub Swanson.
Performance of the Night: Marlon Moraes secured $50,000 for his highlight-reel 67-second walk-off knee knockout over Aljamain Sterling.
Reported Payouts & Disclosed Purses
Fighter Purses & Total Payout Estimates
| Fighter | Result | Base Purse | Win / Finish Bonus | Performance Bonus | Estimated Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WIN | $73,000 | $73,000 | $50,000 | $196,000 | |
| WIN | $29,000 | $29,000 | $100,000 | $158,000 | |
| LOSS | $76,000 | — | $50,000 | $126,000 | |
| WIN | $32,000 | $32,000 | — | $64,000 | |
| WIN | $23,000 | $23,000 | — | $46,000 | |
| WIN | $20,000 | $20,000 | — | $40,000 | |
| WIN | $20,000 | $20,000 | — | $40,000 | |
| LOSS | $36,000 | — | — | $36,000 | |
| LOSS | $31,000 | — | — | $31,000 | |
| LOSS | $30,000 | — | — | $30,000 | |
| WIN | $14,000 | $14,000 | — | $28,000 | |
| WIN | $14,000 | $14,000 | — | $28,000 | |
| LOSS | $29,000 | — | — | $29,000 | |
| WIN | $14,000 | $14,000 | — | $28,000 | |
| WIN | $10,000 | $10,000 | — | $20,000 | |
| WIN | $10,000 | $10,000 | — | $20,000 | |
| WIN | $10,000 | $10,000 | — | $20,000 | |
| WIN | $10,000 | $9,000 | — | $19,000 | |
| LOSS | $15,000 | — | — | $15,000 | |
| LOSS | $15,000 | — | — | $15,000 | |
| LOSS | $12,000 | — | — | $12,000 | |
| LOSS | $12,000 | — | — | $12,000 | |
| LOSS | $12,000 | — | — | $12,000 | |
| LOSS | $12,000 | — | — | $12,000 | |
| LOSS | $10,000 | — | — | $10,000 | |
| LOSS | $10,000 | — | — | $10,000 |
*Purses officially reported by the California State Athletic Commission (CSAC), totaling $866,000 in disclosed compensation. Benito Lopez was fined 10% of his purse ($1,000) by the CSAC for shoving Albert Morales at the ceremonial weigh-in, which went directly to the commission. Figures do not include UFC Athlete Outfitting Policy payouts or discretionary locker-room bonuses. Totals include official $50,000 post-fight performance bonuses awarded to Brian Ortega (double bonus winner: $100,000), Cub Swanson ($50,000), and Marlon Moraes ($50,000).
Historic UFC Records Set
Promotional Records Established at UFC Fight Night 123
Brian Ortega became one of the rare fighters in promotional history to capture both Fight of the Night and Performance of the Night honors at the same event, banking $100,000 in bonus checks.
Ortega extended his promotional record to 5-0 (1 NC), maintaining a 100% finishing rate inside the Octagon with a jumping, standing guillotine choke against top-contender Cub Swanson.
Marlon Moraes recorded one of the most violent knockouts of 2017, knocking out Aljamain Sterling unconscious with a vicious switch knee in just 1:07 of Round 1.
In his UFC debut, future bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili landed 11 takedowns on 21 attempts against Frankie Saenz, setting a high mark for takedowns landed in a debut defeat.
Scott Holtzman controlled Darrell Horcher on the mat for 9 minutes and 49 seconds while completing 7 takedowns, earning a clean 30-27 sweep across all scorecards.
UFC Fight Night 123 marked the organization’s inaugural trip to Fresno, drawing an official crowd of 7,605 fans and generating a live gate of $568,290 at the Save Mart Center.
Former bantamweight title challenger Alexis Davis made a triumphant move to the newly introduced women’s flyweight division, edging Liz Carmouche by split decision in their rematch.
Fresno-area native Alex Perez made an explosive promotional debut, submitting Carls John de Tomas via D’Arce choke at 1:54 of Round 2 after landing two takedowns.
ADCC World Champion Davi Ramos showcased his grappling dominance, taking Chris Gruetzemacher down 5 times before locking in a rear-naked choke at 0:50 of Round 3.
Trevin Giles remained undefeated in his professional mixed martial arts career, earning his second consecutive UFC knockout victory by stopping Antônio Braga Neto via punches in Round 3.
Jason Knight was penalized with a rare one-point deduction by referee Frank Trigg in Round 1 after biting Gabriel Benítez’s fingers during an attempted submission sequence.
Benito Lopez was fined 10% of his purse by the CSAC for shoving Albert Morales at the ceremonial weigh-ins, but retained focus to capture a unanimous decision victory the following evening.
When and where did UFC Fight Night: Swanson vs. Ortega take place?
UFC Fight Night: Swanson vs. Ortega took place on Saturday, December 9, 2017, at the Save Mart Center in Fresno, California.
Who won the main event between Cub Swanson and Brian Ortega?
Brian Ortega defeated Cub Swanson via guillotine choke submission at 3:22 of Round 2 after snatching a tight, jumping choke against the cage.
Did Brian Ortega win two post-fight bonus awards at this event?
Yes. Brian Ortega took home $100,000 in bonus awards, winning both Fight of the Night and Performance of the Night for his dramatic submission finish over Swanson.
How did Marlon Moraes finish Aljamain Sterling?
Marlon Moraes knocked out Aljamain Sterling unconscious with a devastating switch knee at 1:07 of Round 1, earning a $50,000 Performance of the Night bonus.
Who were the official bonus award winners at UFC Fight Night 123?
Post-fight bonuses of $50,000 were awarded to: Brian Ortega vs. Cub Swanson (Fight of the Night), Brian Ortega (Performance of the Night), and Marlon Moraes (Performance of the Night).
Why was Jason Knight deducted a point against Gabriel Benítez?
Referee Frank Trigg deducted one point from Jason Knight in Round 1 after Knight bit Gabriel Benítez’s fingers while Benítez was attempting to defend a submission against the fence.
How did Merab Dvalishvili perform in his UFC debut?
Merab Dvalishvili executed a remarkable 11 takedowns against Frankie Saenz, but lost a highly contested split decision (28–29, 29–28, 29–28).
Who won the women’s flyweight bout between Alexis Davis and Liz Carmouche?
Alexis Davis defeated Liz Carmouche via split decision (29–28, 28–29, 29–28) in their three-round 125-pound divisional debut clash.
How did Alex Perez win his promotional debut?
Local Central Valley fighter Alex Perez submitted Carls John de Tomas via D’Arce choke at 1:54 of Round 2 in front of his home crowd in Fresno.
What was the official attendance and live gate for the event?
UFC Fight Night 123 drew an attendance of 7,605 fans generating a total live gate of $568,290 at the Save Mart Center.
Who earned the highest payout at UFC Fight Night 123?
Marlon Moraes took top honors with an official disclosed purse of $146,000 (plus a $50,000 performance bonus for a total of $196,000), followed by Brian Ortega ($158,000 total) and Cub Swanson ($126,000 total).
Why was Benito Lopez fined 10% of his purse?
Benito Lopez was fined 10% of his purse ($1,000) by the California State Athletic Commission after shoving Albert Morales during their staredown at the ceremonial weigh-ins.
Who were the commentators and cage announcer for UFC Fight Night 123?
The event was called by play-by-play announcer Brendan Fitzgerald alongside color analyst Paul Felder, with Joe Martinez introducing fighters inside the Octagon.
Where was the event televised in the United States?
The main card and preliminary card aired live on FS1, while early preliminary bouts streamed exclusively on UFC Fight Pass.
What fight did Brian Ortega earn with his victory over Cub Swanson?
With his finish of Swanson, Ortega cemented his contender status and went on to face Frankie Edgar at UFC 222, where he became the first fighter to knock Edgar out, earning a shot at the featherweight championship.
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