UFC Fight Night: Stephens vs. Choi Full Fight Card, Date & Details
UFC Fight Night: Stephens vs. Choi
United States
Main Card • Final
R2, 2:36
Fight of the Night
South Korea
Australia
R3, 5:00
Nigeria
R3, 5:00
Norway
R2, 2:22
Performance of the Night
Prelims • Final
R3, 5:00
Mexico
R1, 1:00
Performance of the Night
R3, 5:00
Brazil
R1, 4:53
Argentina
Early Prelims • Final
R3, 5:00
R3, 5:00
Denmark
R3, 5:00
Official Event Results
$50k POTN
Official Post-Fight Bonus Awards
$50,000 Post-Fight Bonus Recipients
Fight of the Night: Jeremy Stephens and Dooho Choi each earned $50,000 for their explosive two-round featherweight main event shootout.
Performance of the Night: Darren Elkins earned $50,000 for his remarkable comeback rear-naked choke submission over Michael Johnson in Round 2.
Performance of the Night: Polo Reyes collected $50,000 for his blistering one-minute knockout of Matt Frevola in their lightweight preliminary contest.
Reported Payouts & Disclosed Purses
Fighter Purses & Total Payout Estimates
| Fighter | Result | Base Purse | Win / Finish Bonus | Performance Bonus | Estimated Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WIN | — | — | $50,000 | $50,000+ | |
| LOSS | — | — | $50,000 | $50,000+ | |
| WIN | — | — | — | — | |
| LOSS | — | — | — | — | |
| WIN | — | — | — | — | |
| LOSS | — | — | — | — | |
| WIN | — | — | $50,000 | $50,000+ | |
| LOSS | — | — | — | — | |
| WIN | — | — | — | — | |
| LOSS | — | — | — | — | |
| WIN | — | — | $50,000 | $50,000+ | |
| LOSS | — | — | — | — | |
| WIN | — | — | — | — | |
| LOSS | — | — | — | — | |
| WIN | — | — | — | — | |
| LOSS | — | — | — | — | |
| WIN | — | — | — | — | |
| LOSS | — | — | — | — | |
| WIN | — | — | — | — | |
| LOSS | — | — | — | — | |
| WIN | — | — | — | — | |
| LOSS | — | — | — | — |
*Purses were not publicly disclosed by the Missouri Division of Professional Registration (Office of Athletics). Disclosed totals reflect official $50,000 post-fight performance bonuses awarded by the promotion. Mads Burnell forfeited 20% of his fight purse to Mike Santiago after missing the featherweight non-title weight limit at 150 lbs.
Historic UFC Records Set
Promotional Records Established at UFC Fight Night: Stephens vs. Choi
UFC Fight Night: Stephens vs. Choi marked the promotion’s first-ever visit to the city of St. Louis, Missouri, drawing 10,052 fans to the Scottrade Center.
Jeremy Stephens earned his 18th victory inside the Octagon, tying him for the 2nd-most knockout finishes in UFC featherweight history at the time.
Darren Elkins extended his featherweight winning streak to six consecutive fights, securing his second straight come-from-behind submission stoppage.
Kamaru Usman landed 8 takedowns against Emil Meek, improving his undefeated UFC start to 7-0 and pacing towards a title run.
Mexico’s Polo Reyes scored a violent one-minute (1:00) knockout over Matt Frevola, delivering one of the fastest lightweight finishes of 2018.
Irene Aldana launched 258 total strikes across three dominant rounds against Talita Bernardo, securing her maiden victory inside the Octagon.
Moving down to the newly formed UFC women’s flyweight division, Jessica Eye snapped a four-fight skid with a gritty split-decision victory over Kalindra Faria.
Kyung Ho Kang returned from a 40-month layoff completing his South Korean mandatory military service, submitting Guido Cannetti via 1st-round triangle choke.
Mads Burnell controlled Mike Santiago for 9 minutes and 13 seconds on the mat, setting one of the highest single-bout control times in featherweight history.
Australia’s Jessica-Rose Clark won her second UFC bout in less than two months, out-pointing star Paige VanZant by unanimous decision in the co-main event.
The rare Sunday night showcase produced a substantial live gate of $812,995 at the Scottrade Center, cementing Missouri as an energetic combat market.
Featherweight main card competitors captured three of the four post-fight bonus awards as Stephens, Choi, and Elkins all pocketed $50,000 checks.
When and where did UFC Fight Night: Stephens vs. Choi take place?
UFC Fight Night: Stephens vs. Choi took place on Sunday, January 14, 2018, at the Scottrade Center in St. Louis, Missouri.
Who won the main event between Jeremy Stephens and Dooho Choi?
Jeremy Stephens defeated Dooho Choi via TKO (punches and elbows) at 2:36 of Round 2 after an action-packed striking brawl that earned Fight of the Night honors.
How did Jeremy Stephens finish Dooho Choi?
Stephens connected with a thunderous overhand right to Choi’s temple that dropped him to the canvas, followed by heavy ground-and-pound punches and elbows to force the referee stoppage.
Who won the co-main event between Paige VanZant and Jessica-Rose Clark?
Jessica-Rose Clark defeated Paige VanZant via unanimous decision (30–27, 29–28, 29–28) in VanZant’s flyweight debut, during which VanZant broke her right arm in the second round.
Who received post-fight bonus awards at UFC Fight Night: Stephens vs. Choi?
Four $50,000 bonuses were awarded: Jeremy Stephens vs. Dooho Choi (Fight of the Night), Darren Elkins (Performance of the Night), and Polo Reyes (Performance of the Night).
How did Darren Elkins defeat Michael Johnson?
After being battered and nearly finished by Johnson in the opening round, Darren Elkins rallied in Round 2, securing a takedown, taking Johnson’s back, and locking in a rear-naked choke at 2:22.
What was Kamaru Usman’s result against Emil Meek?
Kamaru Usman controlled Emil Meek with 8 takedowns and dominant grappling over 15 minutes, winning a lopsided unanimous decision (30–27, 30–27, 30–27).
Why was the scheduled co-main event between Vitor Belfort and Uriah Hall cancelled?
The middleweight bout was cancelled on the morning of weigh-ins when Uriah Hall fainted en route to the scales due to severe complications during his weight cut.
Did Mads Burnell make weight for his fight against Mike Santiago?
No. Mads Burnell weighed in at 150 pounds, 4 pounds over the featherweight non-title limit. He was fined 20% of his purse and the bout proceeded at catchweight, with Burnell winning via unanimous decision.
What happened in the fight between Polo Reyes and Matt Frevola?
In a wild one-minute slugfest, Polo Reyes dropped Matt Frevola twice, knocking him out cold with a devastating right hand at exactly 1:00 of Round 1.
Who called the fights on the commentary broadcast team?
The live Fox Sports 1 broadcast was called by play-by-play commentator Brendan Fitzgerald alongside color analyst and active UFC fighter Paul Felder.
What was the official attendance and live gate for the event?
The event drew an official crowd of 10,052 fans at the Scottrade Center producing a live gate of $812,995.
How long was Kyung Ho Kang away before his return at this event?
Kyung Ho Kang was away from competition for over 3 years (40 months) fulfilling mandatory military service in South Korea before submitting Guido Cannetti via triangle choke at 4:53 of Round 1.
Which television network broadcast UFC Fight Night: Stephens vs. Choi?
In the United States, the preliminary card and main card aired live on Fox Sports 1 (FS1), with early preliminary bouts streaming on UFC Fight Pass.
Who won the women’s bantamweight fight between Irene Aldana and Talita Bernardo?
Irene Aldana defeated Talita Bernardo via unanimous decision (30–27, 30–27, 30–27), out-striking Bernardo 70 to 46 in significant strikes over three rounds.
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