Nogueira, Couture Steal Show, Hit Jackpot at UFC 102

Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira and Randy Couture pocketed matching $60,000 “Fight of the Night” bonuses after their memorable three-round main event at UFC 102 on Saturday at the Rose Garden Arena in Portland, Ore. The two legends took a welcomed chunk out of the $1.92 million gate, drawn from the 16,088 in attendance.

Nogueira rebounded nicely from his technical knockout loss to Frank Mir in December, as he worked over Couture standing and on the ground. He nearly submitted the UFC hall of famer twice, first with a brabo choke and then with an arm-triangle choke. Nogueira has now defeated five former UFC heavyweight champions.

The ageless 46-year-old Couture, meanwhile, has lost back-to-back fights for the first time since he lost to Ricco Rodriguez and Josh Barnett in a six-month span back in 2002.

Nogueira and Couture were not the only combatants to profit from the event.

Middleweight contender Nate Marquardt smashed through previously unbeaten Brazilian jiu-jitsu ace Demian Maia in a cool 21 seconds en route to a $60,000 “Knockout of the Night” bonus. The 30-year-old former King of Pancrase has rattled off three consecutive victories, all of them finishes.

Finally, Jake Rosholt, in his second appearance inside the Octagon, locked up a $60,000 “Submission of the Night” bonus after he choked Chris Leben unconscious with a third-round arm-triangle choke. A three-time Div. I national champion wrestler at Oklahoma State University, Rosholt spoiled Leben’s return to the cage following a nine-month suspension for steroid use.