Abus Magomedov absolutely owned UFC 333, securing a quick, decisive first-round submission over Cameron Rowston, but his spectacular performance, complete with a viral flex celebration, still didn’t earn him a Performance of the Night bonus. The win pushed Magomedov’s impressive record to 30-7-1 MMA, 6-3 UFC, and marked his second straight victory, five out of his last six, yet the $100,000 bonus eluded him once again.
The Flex That Rocked The Octagon
Magomedov’s victory over Rowston, known as “The Battle Giraffe,” was a masterpiece of efficiency. He didn’t just tap Rowston out, he choked him completely unconscious in the first round. As Rowston began to regain awareness after the stoppage, Magomedov delivered a bold flex, a move that immediately went viral and drew comparisons to Nate Diaz’s iconic mid-guillotine choke celebration against Kurt Pellegrino. Magomedov, however, insists the Diaz connection wasn’t on his mind. He told MMA Junkie that he didn’t think about Diaz when he did it, saying, “it was not in my mind. I didn’t think about this. But it happened.” He explained that it’s a move he practices in the gym, often submitting guys with one arm and thinking about doing “some moves” if his second hand was free. “It just happened, freestyle,” he said.
No Bonus, No Problem? Magomedov Calls His Shot
Despite the highlight-reel finish, the UFC decided not to hand Magomedov the Performance of the Night bonus. This isn’t the first time he’s been in this situation. He revealed that after his last good performance in Baku, he asked for a bonus into the microphone, only to be told by his coach Mike Brown and Ali Abdelaziz that asking for it usually means you don’t get it. This time, he kept quiet, yet the outcome was the same. Magomedov expressed his frustration, noting that while $25,000 is “better than nothing,” it’s “not so enough” when you know you could get $100,000. Still, he maintained, “Always Alhamdulillah.” After the fight, Magomedov didn’t shy away from calling out top contender Gregory Rodrigues. He said Rodrigues “makes sense for me,” highlighting his good winning streak and the chaotic nature of the middleweight division, where “every week the champ changes or something.”
Two Wins In A Row, And Now He Wants Gold
At 37 years old, Magomedov is clearly looking for a big opportunity and believes the middleweight division is “the most hardest weight” with tough guys across the top 15. He stressed that he doesn’t care who he fights as long as the opponent makes sense and helps him “go in there for the title.” He assured everyone, “I never escape some fight. The UFC knows it. Everyone knows it. Even I have small injuries, I’m fighting.” Interestingly, Magomedov has no beef with Rodrigues. In fact, they cross-trained years ago when Magomedov was fighting in PFL, and he’s been rooting for Rodrigues ever since. But with his sights set on gold, Magomedov is ready to change that pattern.
Magomedov is on a roll, stacking up wins and climbing the rankings. The UFC has a red-hot middleweight on its hands who’s ready for a title run. Now, we wait to see if they’ll give him the big fight he’s earned and the recognition, and perhaps a bonus, that he deserves.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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