UFC 234: Adesanya vs. Silva Full Fight Card, Date & Details
UFC 234: Adesanya vs. Silva
Australia
Main Card • Final
Nigeria
R3, 5:00
Fight of the Night
Brazil
United States
R1, 4:55
R3, 5:00
R2, 2:37
Performance of the Night
R1, 2:49
Prelims • Final
R1, 3:49
Performance of the Night
South Korea
New Zealand
R3, 5:00
R3, 5:00
R1, 3:59
Japan
Early Prelims • Final
R1, 0:53
R3, 5:00
China
Official Event Results
$50k FOTN
Official Post-Fight Bonus Awards
$50,000 Post-Fight Bonus Recipients
Fight of the Night: Israel Adesanya and Anderson Silva each earned $50,000 for their captivating three-round technical striking masterclass in the main event.
Performance of the Night: Montana De La Rosa collected $50,000 for her clinical second-round armbar submission over Nadia Kassem.
Performance of the Night: Devonte Smith earned $50,000 for his explosive first-round knockout victory over Dong Hyun Ma.
Reported Payouts & Disclosed Purses
Fighter Purses & Total Payout Estimates
| Fighter | Result | Base Purse | Win / Finish Bonus | Performance Bonus | Estimated Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WIN | $80,000 | $80,000 | $50,000 | $210,000 | |
| LOSS | $600,000 | — | $50,000 | $650,000 | |
| WIN | $25,000 | $25,000 | — | $50,000 | |
| LOSS | $10,000 | — | — | $10,000 | |
| WIN | $26,000 | $26,000 | — | $52,000 | |
| LOSS | $50,000 | — | — | $50,000 | |
| WIN | $20,000 | $20,000 | $50,000 | $90,000 | |
| LOSS | $12,000 | — | — | $12,000 | |
| WIN | $12,000 | $12,000 | — | $24,000 | |
| LOSS | $50,000 | — | — | $50,000 | |
| WIN | $12,000 | $12,000 | $50,000 | $74,000 | |
| LOSS | $28,000 | — | — | $28,000 | |
| WIN | $12,000 | $12,000 | — | $24,000 | |
| LOSS | $12,000 | — | — | $12,000 | |
| WIN | $14,000 | $14,000 | — | $28,000 | |
| LOSS | $10,000 | — | — | $10,000 | |
| WIN | $22,000 | $22,000 | — | $44,000 | |
| LOSS | $22,000 | — | — | $22,000 | |
| WIN | $10,000 | $10,000 | — | $20,000 | |
| LOSS | $10,000 | — | — | $10,000 | |
| WIN | $10,000 | $10,000 | — | $20,000 | |
| LOSS | $10,000 | — | — | $10,000 |
*Disclosed purses are not publicly reported by Victorian athletic authorities in Australia. The listed figures represent estimated baselines based on official UFC contract pay scales and previous athletic commission disclosures. Total figures include officially awarded post-fight bonuses ($50,000 each) but exclude pay-per-view dividends and compliance sponsorship pay.
Historic UFC Records Set
Promotional Records Established at UFC 234
UFC 234 marked one of the rarest occurrences in modern UFC history where the scheduled championship headliner was cancelled on the day of the event, elevating Adesanya vs. Silva from co-main to the main event.
Adesanya vs. Silva served as the first non-title, three-round pay-per-view headliner for the promotion since Conor McGregor vs. Nate Diaz 1 at UFC 196 in March 2016.
The 14-year, 3-month age gap between Anderson Silva (43) and Israel Adesanya (29) was one of the largest generational age differences ever recorded in a UFC main event.
Israel Adesanya pushed his career record to an unblemished 15-0, winning five UFC bouts in less than 12 months after making his promotional debut at UFC 221.
Montana De La Rosa became the first female competitor in UFC flyweight history to achieve three consecutive submission victories inside the Octagon.
Rod Laver Arena sold out in just eight minutes, generating a record Victorian combat sports gate of $2,470,088 USD ($3.5M AUD) with 15,238 fans in attendance.
Jalin Turner earned his first official UFC victory with a lightning-fast 53-second first-round knockout over Callan Potter in early preliminary action.
Devonte Smith maintained a flawless 100% career finishing rate, scoring his second straight first-round UFC knockout in just 3:49 against Dong Hyun Ma.
Melbourne native Jimmy Crute electrified his hometown crowd, maintaining an undefeated 10-0 professional record with a 2:49 first-round stoppage of Sam Alvey.
Former long-reigning middleweight king Anderson Silva captured his 14th career post-fight bonus award, reinforcing his place among the most decorated fighters in UFC history.
Jonathan Martinez collected his first UFC win by amassing 7 minutes and 24 seconds of ground control over Wuliji Buren, the highest control total on the card.
New Zealand standout Kai Kara-France secured his second consecutive UFC victory, out-striking Raulian Paiva in a back-and-forth flyweight war.
When and where did UFC 234 take place?
UFC 234: Adesanya vs. Silva took place on Saturday, February 9, 2019 (Sunday, February 10 local time) at the Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
Who won the main event between Israel Adesanya and Anderson Silva?
Israel Adesanya defeated Anderson Silva via unanimous decision (30–27, 30–27, 29–28) after three competitive, high-level striking rounds.
Why was the main event between Adesanya and Silva only three rounds?
Adesanya vs. Silva was originally contracted as a three-round co-main event. When the five-round title fight between Robert Whittaker and Kelvin Gastelum was cancelled on the day of the event, Adesanya and Silva remained under their original three-round bout contract.
Why was the original main event between Robert Whittaker and Kelvin Gastelum cancelled?
UFC middleweight champion Robert Whittaker was forced to withdraw on the morning of the event due to an abdominal hernia and a twisted, collapsed bowel that required immediate emergency surgery.
Who won the post-fight bonuses at UFC 234?
Four fighters received $50,000 bonuses: Israel Adesanya vs. Anderson Silva took home Fight of the Night, while Montana De La Rosa and Devonte Smith earned Performance of the Night honors.
Who won the co-main event between Lando Vannata and Marcos Mariano?
Lando Vannata submitted promotional newcomer Marcos Mariano with a kimura at 4:55 of Round 1 in their lightweight contest.
What record did Montana De La Rosa set at UFC 234?
By submitting Nadia Kassem with an armbar at 2:37 of Round 2, Montana De La Rosa became the first female fighter in UFC flyweight history to achieve three consecutive submission wins.
How did Jimmy Crute defeat Sam Alvey?
Australian prospect Jimmy Crute knocked down Sam Alvey with a right hand and finished the bout with follow-up ground strikes for a TKO victory at 2:49 of Round 1.
Who won the bantamweight fight between Ricky Simon and Rani Yahya?
Ricky Simon secured a dominant unanimous decision (30–27, 30–27, 30–25), scoring two knockdowns and defending all nine of Yahya’s takedown attempts.
What was the attendance and live gate for UFC 234?
The event drew a sellout crowd of 15,238 fans at Rod Laver Arena, generating a live gate of $2,470,088 USD (approx. $3.5 million AUD).
How many pay-per-view buys did UFC 234 generate?
UFC 234 generated an estimated 175,000 pay-per-view buys following the late loss of the Robert Whittaker vs. Kelvin Gastelum middleweight title fight.
Who were the commentators and announcer for UFC 234?
Play-by-play lead Jon Anik and color analyst Dominick Cruz called the action from cageside, while Bruce Buffer handled official Octagon introductions.
How did Devonte Smith earn Performance of the Night?
Devonte Smith stopped South Korea’s Dong Hyun Ma with a devastating right hand and ground-and-pound punches at 3:49 of Round 1, receiving a $50,000 bonus.
How fast did Jalin Turner finish Callan Potter?
Jalin Turner knocked out local Australian fighter Callan Potter in just 53 seconds of the first round, earning his first official UFC promotional victory.
What did the victory over Anderson Silva lead to for Israel Adesanya?
The triumph earned Adesanya a shot at the interim UFC Middleweight Championship against Kelvin Gastelum at UFC 236, where he won the interim belt in the consensus 2019 Fight of the Year.
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