"Give them double bonuses" - UFC fighters react to the barnburner contest between Santiago Ponzinibbio and Miguel Baeza

Santiago Ponzinibbio and Miguel Baeza stole the show at UFC Vegas 28 by delivering a 'Fight of the Year' contender.

Many MMA fighters took to Twitter to praise the fighters for this instant classic of a fight.

Belal Muhammad and current UFC featherweight champion Alex Volkanovski praised Ponzinibbio's comeback against Baeza after losing the first round of the fight:

Jimi Manuwa demanded that both fighters get double bonuses for their brutal showdown:

UFC middleweight Derek Brunson said the other fighters on the card should drop the idea of winning the 'Fight of the Night' bonus at it looked doubtful that any fight on the card would top Ponzinibbio vs. Baeza.

UFC welterweight Michael Chiesa took to Twitter to hail the third round of the barnburner as the 'Round of the Year'.

Santiago Ponzinibbio beats Miguel Baeza at UFC Vegas 28

Santiago Ponzinibbio defeated Miguel Baeza in what was not only the 'Fight of the Night' but also a solid contender for 'Fight of the Year'.

Baeza got the better of the Argentinian fighter in the first round as 'Caramel Thunder' constantly attacked Ponzinibbio's legs. But in the second round, 'Gente Boa' made a comeback and turned the fight into an all-out war.

In the third round, both fighters threw caution to the wind and started throwing heavy shots at each other. But neither of them was willing to go down tonight.

Eventually, Ponzinibbio won the fight via unanimous decision as the three judges scored the contest at 29-28.

With the win, the 34-year-old fighter has made a strong statement that he still has a lot left in the tank and could also be a potential title challenger in the future.

About the author

Puneet has a total of 2.5 years of experience and specializes in reporting on MMA and boxing for Sportskeeda. He holds a postgraduate diploma in Journalism & Mass Communication, which aided him in his writing skills.

The iconic interim featherweight title fight between Conor McGregor and Chad Mendes at UFC 189 in 2015 ignited Puneet’s passion for the sport. Former UFC lightweight champion Charles Oliveira stands out as Puneet’s favorite MMA fighter as he's drawn to 'Do Bronx's' captivating background story and entertaining persona. He is a believer of MMA being the world’s no.1 combat sport as opposed to Boxing.

While writing, Puneet ensures that his articles stay true to their titles and deliver valuable information to readers. He emphasizes the importance of embedding videos or pictures directly from their original sources to enrich the reader's experience.

Puneet’s professional achievements include covering major events such as UFC 264 and several boxing matches featuring renowned fighters like Canelo Alvarez, Tyson Fury, and Anthony Joshua.

Beyond MMA, Puneet likes to watch movies.

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