UFC Fight Night: Lawler vs. dos Anjos Full Fight Card, Date & Details
UFC Fight Night: Lawler vs. dos Anjos
Canada
Main Card • Final
Brazil
R5, 5:00
United States
R1, 4:33
Argentina
R3, 5:00
R1, 2:45
Prelims • Final
Poland
R3, 5:00
R2, 2:42
Fight of the Night
England
R1, 4:10
R1, 0:59
Performance of the Night
R3, 5:00
Italy
R2, 2:14
Performance of the Night
Nigeria
Early Prelims • Final
R3, 5:00
Official Event Results
Official Post-Fight Bonus Awards
$50,000 Post-Fight Bonus Recipients
Fight of the Night: Julian Marquez and Darren Stewart took home $50,000 each for their wildly entertaining, physical middleweight clash that culminated in Marquez securing a second-round guillotine choke.
Performance of the Night: Nordine Taleb collected $50,000 for a devastating 59-second head kick and straight right knockout over Danny Roberts.
Performance of the Night: Alessio Di Chirico earned $50,000 for a spectacular walk-off collar-tie knee knockout against Oluwale Bamgbose in Round 2.
Reported Payouts & Disclosed Purses
Fighter Purses & Total Payout Estimates
| Fighter | Result | Base Purse | Win / Finish Bonus | Performance Bonus | Estimated Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WIN | $84,000 | $84,000 | — | $168,000 | |
| LOSS | $200,000 | — | — | $200,000 | |
| WIN | $12,000 | $15,000 | — | $27,000 | |
| LOSS | $56,000 | — | — | $56,000 | |
| WIN | $30,000 | $30,000 | — | $60,000 | |
| LOSS | $30,000 | — | — | $30,000 | |
| WIN | $75,000 | $75,000 | — | $150,000 | |
| LOSS | $20,000 | — | — | $20,000 | |
| WIN | $34,000 | $34,000 | — | $68,000 | |
| LOSS | $24,000 | — | — | $24,000 | |
| WIN | $10,000 | $10,000 | $50,000 | $70,000 | |
| LOSS | $12,000 | — | $50,000 | $62,000 | |
| WIN | $26,000 | $26,000 | — | $52,000 | |
| LOSS | $12,000 | — | — | $12,000 | |
| WIN | $26,000 | $26,000 | $50,000 | $102,000 | |
| LOSS | $14,000 | — | — | $14,000 | |
| WIN | $35,000 | $35,000 | — | $70,000 | |
| LOSS | $32,000 | — | — | $32,000 | |
| WIN | $14,000 | $14,000 | $50,000 | $78,000 | |
| LOSS | $14,000 | — | — | $14,000 | |
| WIN | $32,000 | $32,000 | — | $64,000 | |
| LOSS | $36,000 | — | — | $36,000 |
*Official fighter purse payouts are not publicly disclosed by the Manitoba Combative Sports Commission. Listed amounts represent attributed industry estimates compiled from historical disclosed contracts, show/win structures, and confirmed $50,000 post-fight performance bonus awards. Josh Emmett forfeited 20% of his purse ($3,000) to Ricardo Lamas for missing weight at 148.5 lbs.
Historic UFC Records Set
Promotional Records Established at UFC Fight Night: Lawler vs. dos Anjos
Rafael dos Anjos set a new personal best by landing 172 significant strikes against Robbie Lawler, sweeping all three judges’ scorecards 50-45 to earn a shot at the UFC Welterweight Championship.
Former champion Robbie Lawler absorbed 172 significant strikes over 25 minutes while fighting through a torn ACL and meniscus, cementing his legendary reputation for Octagon durability.
Stepping in on short notice, Team Alpha Male’s Josh Emmett produced one of 2017’s most shocking upsets, knocking out #3-ranked featherweight contender Ricardo Lamas cold at 4:33 of Round 1.
Despite delivering the undisputed knockout of the night, Emmett’s official weigh-in miss at 148.5 lbs rendered him ineligible to receive a $50,000 post-fight performance bonus.
Santiago Ponzinibbio claimed his sixth consecutive victory in the 170-pound division by outstriking Mike Perry over three brutal rounds, tying the second-longest active welterweight winning streak at the time.
Glover Teixeira stopped Misha Cirkunov at 2:45 of Round 1, earning his 10th finish inside the Octagon at 205 lbs to tie Jon Jones for the second-most finishes in light heavyweight history.
Jan Błachowicz scored a knockdown and four takedowns against Jared Cannonier, securing his second straight win and initiating his historic resurgence toward the UFC light heavyweight title.
Contender Series breakout Julian Marquez made an unforgettable promotional debut, rallying through heavy exchanges to submit Darren Stewart with a guillotine choke and collect Fight of the Night honors.
Montreal’s Nordine Taleb scored the fastest stoppage of his UFC career, executing a thunderous right head kick and follow-up punch to stop Danny Roberts in just 59 seconds of Round 1.
Italy’s Alessio Di Chirico delivered one of the cleanest walk-off knockouts of 2017, landing a flush right knee to the jaw from the Thai clinch against Oluwale Bamgbose at 2:14 of Round 2.
Canadian fighters enjoyed a dominant night in front of the Manitoba crowd, with Chad Laprise, Nordine Taleb, John Makdessi, and Jordan Mein all registering decisive victories.
UFC Fight Night: Lawler vs. dos Anjos drew 8,862 spectators and generated a live gate of $781,359 USD, marking the promotion’s second successful showcase in the province of Manitoba.
When and where did UFC Fight Night: Lawler vs. dos Anjos take place?
UFC Fight Night: Lawler vs. dos Anjos (also recognized as UFC on Fox 26) took place on Saturday, December 16, 2017, at the Bell MTS Place in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.
Who won the main event between Robbie Lawler and Rafael dos Anjos?
Rafael dos Anjos defeated former welterweight champion Robbie Lawler via unanimous decision (50–45, 50–45, 50–45) after a masterclass five-round striking and grappling performance.
What title opportunity did Rafael dos Anjos earn with this win?
UFC President Dana White confirmed prior to the event that the winner would receive the next shot at the UFC Welterweight Championship, putting dos Anjos in line to fight for the title.
How did Josh Emmett defeat Ricardo Lamas?
Stepping in on short notice, Josh Emmett scored a shocking walk-off knockout (left hook) at 4:33 of Round 1 against perennial top contender Ricardo Lamas.
Who won the official post-fight bonuses at UFC Fight Night: Lawler vs. dos Anjos?
Four fighters received $50,000 performance bonuses: Julian Marquez vs. Darren Stewart earned Fight of the Night, while Nordine Taleb and Alessio Di Chirico earned Performance of the Night honors.
Why didn’t Josh Emmett receive a Performance of the Night bonus?
Josh Emmett missed the featherweight non-title limit at weigh-ins, registering 148.5 lbs (2.5 lbs over). Per UFC policy, fighters who miss weight are ineligible for official post-fight performance bonuses.
What was the result of Santiago Ponzinibbio vs. Mike Perry?
Santiago Ponzinibbio defeated Mike Perry via unanimous decision (29–28, 29–28, 29–28) in a three-round slugfest that saw Ponzinibbio land a spinning backfist knockdown.
How did Glover Teixeira defeat Misha Cirkunov?
Glover Teixeira weathered early pressure before taking Cirkunov to the canvas, taking his back, and securing a TKO via punches at 2:45 of Round 1.
What happened in the Fight of the Night between Julian Marquez and Darren Stewart?
In his official UFC debut, Julian Marquez traded heavy leather with Darren Stewart across two physical rounds before locking in a standing-to-ground guillotine choke submission at 2:42 of Round 2.
How fast did Nordine Taleb defeat Danny Roberts?
Montreal’s Nordine Taleb knocked out Danny Roberts in just 59 seconds of Round 1 with a devastating right head kick followed by a clean straight right hand.
How did Alessio Di Chirico finish Oluwale Bamgbose?
Alessio Di Chirico caught Oluwale Bamgbose in a Thai plum collar-tie against the fence and delivered a crushing right knee to the jaw for a walk-off KO at 2:14 of Round 2.
What was the outcome of Jan Błachowicz vs. Jared Cannonier?
Jan Błachowicz relied on crisp boxing combinations and timely takedowns to defeat Jared Cannonier via unanimous decision (29–28, 29–28, 29–28).
How did Canadian fighters perform at this event in Winnipeg?
Canadian athletes had a stellar night on home soil, finishing with a 4-1 combined record thanks to victories by Chad Laprise, Nordine Taleb, John Makdessi, and Jordan Mein.
Who called the broadcast for UFC Fight Night: Lawler vs. dos Anjos?
The broadcast was called cageside by play-by-play announcer Jon Anik alongside color analysts Daniel Cormier and Dominick Cruz, with Bruce Buffer announcing inside the Octagon.
What was the official attendance and gate for the Winnipeg event?
The event drew an official crowd of 8,862 fans to Bell MTS Place, generating a live gate of $781,359 USD.
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