UFC Fight Night: Whittaker vs. Gastelum Full Fight Card, Date & Details
UFC Fight Night: Whittaker vs. Gastelum
United States
Main Card • Final
Australia
R5, 5:00
Fight of the Night
R3, 5:00
R3, 5:00
Ghana
R3, 5:00
R3, 5:00
Prelims • Final
Moldova
R3, 1:05
Spain
R3, 5:00
Mexico
R1, 2:00
Performance of the Night
Poland
R3, 5:00
R2, 1:31
Performance of the Night
Official Event Results
$50k FOTN
$50k Bonus
Official Post-Fight Bonus Awards
$50,000 Post-Fight Bonus Recipients
Fight of the Night: Former middleweight champion Robert Whittaker and Kelvin Gastelum each received $50,000 for their high-paced five-round main event classic.
Performance of the Night: Gerald Meerschaert earned $50,000 for his first-round technical submission via guillotine choke over Bartosz Fabiński; Tony Gravely collected $50,000 for his second-round walk-off punch TKO against Anthony Birchak.
Reported Payouts & Disclosed Purses
Fighter Purses & Bonus Distribution
| Fighter | Result | Base Purse | Win / Finish Bonus | Performance Bonus | Estimated Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WIN | — | — | $50,000 | — | |
| LOSS | — | — | $50,000 | — | |
| WIN | — | — | — | — | |
| LOSS | — | — | — | — | |
| WIN | — | — | — | — | |
| LOSS | — | — | — | — | |
| WIN | — | — | — | — | |
| LOSS | — | — | — | — | |
| WIN | — | — | — | — | |
| LOSS | — | — | — | — | |
| WIN | — | — | — | — | |
| LOSS | — | — | — | — | |
| WIN | — | — | — | — | |
| LOSS | — | — | — | — | |
| WIN | — | — | $50,000 | — | |
| LOSS | — | — | — | — | |
| WIN | — | — | — | — | |
| LOSS | — | — | — | — | |
| WIN | — | — | $50,000 | — | |
| LOSS | — | — | — | — |
*Official contracted fighter salaries and purse payouts were not made publicly available by the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC). Figures reflect confirmed official post-fight performance bonuses ($50,000 each for Fight of the Night and Performance of the Night). Fine forfeitures due to weight misses (Tracy Cortez forfeited 20% of her purse to Justine Kish) are not reflected in official public disclosures. Undisclosed purse figures are marked with — in accordance with official reporting guidelines.
Historic UFC Records Set
Promotional Records Established at UFC Fight Night: Whittaker vs. Gastelum
Robert Whittaker landed 150 significant strikes and completed 4 takedowns against Kelvin Gastelum, sweeping all three judges’ scorecards 50-45 in a dominant Fight of the Night headliner.
Former UFC heavyweight champion Andrei Arlovski secured his 20th career UFC victory by defeating Chase Sherman, becoming just the sixth fighter in UFC history to achieve the 20-win benchmark.
Gerald Meerschaert extended his divisional submission record by choking out Bartosz Fabiński at 2:00 of Round 1, earning a $50,000 Performance of the Night bonus.
Tony Gravely scored two knockdowns against Anthony Birchak before securing a thunderous second-round TKO at 1:31 of Round 2 to earn his first UFC performance bonus.
Jacob Malkoun executed 8 takedowns and dominated Abdul Razak Alhassan for 11 minutes and 41 seconds on the canvas, sweeping all three scorecards 30-27.
Alexandr Romanov vs. Juan Espino concluded in a rare technical split decision at 1:05 of Round 3 after an accidental knee to the groin rendered Romanov unable to continue.
Former title challenger Jessica Penne returned to the Octagon after a 1,456-day absence (nearly four years), edging Loopy Godinez via split decision.
Lightweight Austin Hubbard completed 100% of his takedowns (4-of-4) and registered 6:42 of control time to outpoint promotional newcomer Dakota Bush.
At 42 years of age, Andrei Arlovski out-landed Chase Sherman 105 to 88 in significant strikes across 15 grueling heavyweight minutes.
UFC Fight Night: Whittaker vs. Gastelum (UFC Vegas 24) marked the 24th event produced inside the UFC APEX facility in Enterprise, Nevada.
When and where did UFC Fight Night: Whittaker vs. Gastelum take place?
UFC Fight Night: Whittaker vs. Gastelum (also known as UFC on ESPN 22 and UFC Vegas 24) took place on Saturday, April 17, 2021, at the UFC APEX in Enterprise, Nevada.
Who won the main event between Robert Whittaker and Kelvin Gastelum?
Former middleweight champion Robert Whittaker defeated Kelvin Gastelum via unanimous decision (50–45, 50–45, 50–45), dominating all five rounds with 150 significant strikes and 4 takedowns.
Who won the post-fight bonuses at UFC Fight Night: Whittaker vs. Gastelum?
Four fighters received $50,000 bonuses: Robert Whittaker vs. Kelvin Gastelum (Fight of the Night), and Gerald Meerschaert and Tony Gravely (Performance of the Night).
What milestone did Andrei Arlovski reach by defeating Chase Sherman?
Andrei Arlovski became only the sixth fighter in UFC history to reach 20 promotional victories, defeating Chase Sherman via unanimous decision (29–28, 29–28, 29–28).
How did Gerald Meerschaert finish Bartosz Fabiński?
Gerald Meerschaert locked in a tight guillotine choke at 2:00 of Round 1 to put Bartosz Fabiński to sleep, earning a $50,000 Performance of the Night bonus.
How did Tony Gravely defeat Anthony Birchak?
Tony Gravely scored a second-round walk-off TKO (punch) at 1:31 of Round 2 after securing two knockdowns, capturing a $50,000 Performance of the Night award.
How dominant was Jacob Malkoun’s wrestling against Abdul Razak Alhassan?
Jacob Malkoun landed 8 takedowns and established 11 minutes and 41 seconds of control time to sweep Abdul Razak Alhassan (30–27, 30–27, 30–27).
Why did Alexandr Romanov vs. Juan Espino end in a technical decision?
An accidental knee to the groin in Round 3 rendered Romanov unable to continue; as the bout was past the halfway mark, it went to the judges’ scorecards where Romanov won via technical split decision (29–28, 28–29, 29–28).
How long had Jessica Penne been inactive before fighting Loopy Godinez?
Jessica Penne returned after a nearly four-year layoff (1,456 days) and edged out promotional newcomer Loopy Godinez via split decision (28–29, 29–28, 29–28).
Why was Tracy Cortez vs. Justine Kish fought at a catchweight?
Tracy Cortez weighed in at 126.5 lbs (0.5 lb over the flyweight limit) and forfeited 20% of her purse to Justine Kish before winning via split decision.
Who won the lightweight bout between Luis Peña and Alexander Munoz?
Luis Peña defeated Alexander Munoz via split decision (28–29, 29–28, 29–28) in a three-round stand-up scrap landing 90 significant strikes.
How did Austin Hubbard defeat Dakota Bush?
Austin Hubbard went 4-for-4 on takedowns and amassed 6:42 of control time to secure a unanimous decision (29–28, 29–28, 29–28).
Was there a crowd in attendance for UFC Fight Night: Whittaker vs. Gastelum?
No. Due to COVID-19 pandemic restrictions in April 2021, the event was held behind closed doors with no ticketed fans in attendance at the UFC APEX.
Who were the commentators for UFC Fight Night: Whittaker vs. Gastelum?
The event was called by cageside play-by-play commentator Brendan Fitzgerald alongside color analysts Daniel Cormier and Paul Felder.
How many stoppage finishes occurred at UFC Fight Night: Whittaker vs. Gastelum?
The event featured 2 stoppage finishes (one TKO by Tony Gravely and one submission by Gerald Meerschaert) and 8 decision outcomes across 10 bouts.
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