And a couple of the athletes that stepped into the cage on Tuesday night made sure to rise to the occasion, prompting UFC CEO Dana White to hand out a four-pack of contracts to kick off Season 8.
Flyweight Lone’er Kavanagh opened the show with a brilliant first-round knockout win and Jose Delgado followed with a second-round finish in his short-notice featherweight assignment, with both men earning a quick call to the UFC roster.
Brazilian light heavyweight Bruno Lopes turned his second appearance in Las Vegas into a second-round finish, earning an opportunity to compete in the Octagon in the future, while middleweight prospect Mansur Abdul-Malik impressed the UFC boss with his effort against Wes Schultz in the main event to join the 185-pound ranks as well.
Here’s a look at how everything played out to kick off another season at the UFC APEX.