UFC 178: Johnson vs. Cariaso Full Fight Card, Date & Details
UFC 178: Johnson vs. Cariaso
United States
Main Card • Final
R2, 2:29
Title Fight
R3, 5:00
Ireland
R1, 1:46
Performance of the Night
Cuba
R3, 0:58
Fight of the Night
R3, 1:21
Brazil
Prelims • Final
R1, 1:01
Performance of the Night
Japan
R3, 5:00
R3, 5:00
Canada
R3, 5:00
Early Prelims • Final
Guam
R2, 4:56
Official Event Results
Official Post-Fight Bonus Awards
$50,000 Post-Fight Bonus Recipients
Fight of the Night: Yoel Romero and Tim Kennedy each earned $50,000 for their dramatic, back-and-forth middleweight war.
Performance of the Night: Dominick Cruz secured $50,000 for his sensational 61-second knockout return against Takeya Mizugaki, while Conor McGregor earned $50,000 for his clinical first-round TKO over top contender Dustin Poirier.
Reported Payouts & Disclosed Purses
Fighter Purses & Total Payout Estimates
| Fighter | Result | Base Purse | Win / Finish Bonus | Performance Bonus | Estimated Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WIN | $129,000 | $54,000 | — | $183,000 | |
| WIN | $75,000 | $75,000 | $50,000 | $200,000 | |
| WIN | $50,000 | $50,000 | $50,000 | $150,000 | |
| WIN | $63,000 | $63,000 | — | $126,000 | |
| LOSS | $70,000 | — | $50,000 | $120,000 | |
| WIN | $29,000 | $29,000 | $50,000 | $108,000 | |
| LOSS | $100,000 | — | — | $100,000 | |
| WIN | $45,000 | $45,000 | — | $90,000 | |
| WIN | $25,000 | $25,000 | — | $50,000 | |
| WIN | $21,000 | $21,000 | — | $42,000 | |
| LOSS | $34,000 | — | — | $34,000 | |
| LOSS | $33,000 | — | — | $33,000 | |
| LOSS | $32,000 | — | — | $32,000 | |
| WIN | $16,000 | $16,000 | — | $32,000 | |
| LOSS | $24,000 | — | — | $24,000 | |
| LOSS | $21,000 | — | — | $21,000 | |
| WIN | $10,000 | $10,000 | — | $20,000 | |
| WIN | $9,000 | $9,000 | — | $18,000 | |
| LOSS | $15,000 | — | — | $15,000 | |
| LOSS | $15,000 | — | — | $15,000 | |
| LOSS | $10,000 | — | — | $10,000 | |
| LOSS | $10,000 | — | — | $10,000 |
*Official fighter purses and salaries disclosed to the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC). Figures do not include discretionary locker room bonuses, sponsor payouts, or pay-per-view points. Performance bonuses ($50,000 each) are included in total estimated calculations.
Historic UFC Records Set
Promotional Records Established at UFC 178
Demetrious Johnson notched his fifth consecutive title defense, extending the longest active championship reign in flyweight history by submitting Chris Cariaso.
Johnson’s second-round stoppage became the first kimura submission finish in UFC flyweight title fight history.
Widely celebrated as one of the most stacked events ever assembled, UFC 178 featured eight current or future UFC champions across the 11-bout card.
Former bantamweight king Dominick Cruz returned from a nearly three-year injury layoff to deliver a 61-second knockout over Takeya Mizugaki, earning Performance of the Night.
Dominick Cruz’s 1:01 stoppage of Takeya Mizugaki established the fastest knockout victory of his Hall-of-Fame professional mixed martial arts career.
Conor McGregor scored his first pay-per-view main card stoppage, needing only 1:46 to knock out top-ranked contender Dustin Poirier.
Conor McGregor became the first fighter to ever defeat future interim lightweight champion Dustin Poirier via strikes (KO/TKO).
Yoel Romero rallied from the brink of defeat in round 2—surviving an extra 28 seconds on his stool—to knock out Tim Kennedy at 0:58 of round 3 in one of MMA’s wildest comebacks.
Cat Zingano rallied from a crushing first-round deficit against future two-division champion Amanda Nunes to secure a violent third-round TKO via elbows and punches.
Donald Cerrone notched his fourth Octagon victory of 2014 and fifth consecutive promotional win by spoiling Eddie Alvarez’s high-profile promotional debut via unanimous decision.
Demetrious Johnson closed as a -1450 betting favorite over Chris Cariaso (+1150), representing one of the widest betting margins for any title fight in modern UFC history.
Despite losing the scheduled Jon Jones vs. Daniel Cormier headliner, the reshuffled card drew 10,544 fans producing a massive $2,200,000 live gate at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.
When and where did UFC 178: Johnson vs. Cariaso take place?
UFC 178: Johnson vs. Cariaso took place on Saturday, September 27, 2014, at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Who won the main event between Demetrious Johnson and Chris Cariaso?
Demetrious Johnson defeated Chris Cariaso via submission (kimura) at 2:29 of Round 2 to retain the UFC Flyweight Championship.
What happened in the Conor McGregor vs. Dustin Poirier fight at UFC 178?
Conor McGregor defeated Dustin Poirier via TKO (punches) at 1:46 of the first round, earning a $50,000 Performance of the Night bonus in a breakthrough star-making performance.
What was the “Stoolgate” controversy between Yoel Romero and Tim Kennedy?
At the end of Round 2, Tim Kennedy severely rocked Yoel Romero right before the bell. Between rounds, Romero’s corner took an extra 28 seconds to leave the cage and wipe off excessive petroleum jelly, delaying the start of Round 3. Romero then stormed out and knocked Kennedy out 58 seconds into the final round.
How did Dominick Cruz perform in his return after nearly three years away?
In his first Octagon appearance in 1,092 days following multiple knee surgeries, former bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz knocked out Takeya Mizugaki in just 61 seconds, earning Performance of the Night honors.
Who won the co-main event between Donald Cerrone and Eddie Alvarez?
Donald Cerrone defeated former Bellator champion Eddie Alvarez via unanimous decision (29–28, 29–28, 29–28) in Alvarez’s UFC promotional debut.
Who won the official post-fight bonuses at UFC 178?
Four fighters received $50,000 post-fight bonuses: Yoel Romero vs. Tim Kennedy earned Fight of the Night, while Dominick Cruz and Conor McGregor took home Performance of the Night honors.
Who won the fight between Cat Zingano and Amanda Nunes?
Cat Zingano survived an onslaught in the opening round to defeat future two-division champion Amanda Nunes via TKO (elbows and punches) at 1:21 of Round 3.
Why wasn’t Jon Jones vs. Daniel Cormier the main event of UFC 178?
The event was originally scheduled to be headlined by Jon Jones vs. Alexander Gustafsson 2, and then Jon Jones vs. Daniel Cormier. However, Jones suffered a leg injury in training in August, forcing the title fight to be rescheduled for UFC 182, with Demetrious Johnson vs. Chris Cariaso moved from UFC 177 to headline UFC 178.
What was the official attendance and live gate for UFC 178?
UFC 178 drew an official attendance of 10,544 fans with a live gate revenue of $2,200,000 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.
How many pay-per-view buys did UFC 178 generate?
UFC 178 produced an estimated 205,000 pay-per-view buys in North America.
Who were the commentators and cage announcer for UFC 178?
The event was called cage-side by commentators Mike Goldberg and Joe Rogan, with Bruce Buffer serving as the official Octagon announcer.
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