Heading into UFC Vegas 17, fight fans were itching for another epic card to close out 2020.
When the original main event of Leon Edwards vs. Khamzat Chimaev fell through, a replacement scrap between Stephen Thompson vs. Geoff Neal had all the makings of another violent headliner inside the octagon.
Both men absorbed a hellacious amount of damage during the 25-minute fight, but it was Thompson who emerged victorious while Neal suffered the first loss of his professional career.
Below is how fighters reacted to the entire night of action in Las Vegas.
Stephen Thompson defeats Geoff Neal
WONDERBOY!!! #UFCVegas17
— Aljamain Sterling (@funkmasterMMA) December 20, 2020
Wow!! What a fight! Let’s go @WonderboyMMA!!
— Chris Weidman (@chrisweidman) December 20, 2020
Woooow Standing round of applause please! #UFCVegas17
— #OnAmission4Gold (@KelvinGastelum) December 20, 2020
Just cleared even more how tough @VicenteLuqueMMA is!
— GILBERT BURNS DURINHO (@GilbertDurinho) December 20, 2020
Wonderboy is efficient & tough to hit ! #UFCVegas17
— Derek Brunson (@DerekBrunson) December 20, 2020
Till the wheels fall off my brother. Love you champ @handzofsteelmma
— Ramiz Brahimaj (@170Ramiz) December 20, 2020
Great fucking fight #UFCVegas17
— khama worthy (@thedeathstar_1) December 20, 2020
@WonderboyMMA was silky smooth all 5 rounds
— Peter Barrett (@SlipperysWorld) December 20, 2020
Wonderboy gets better as the fight gets more competitive. Neal is gonna be even sharper after this fight. Great fight to close out the year #UFCVegas17
— Dwight Grant (@DwightGrant) December 20, 2020
Stephen Thompson is like the karate version of Muhammad Ali.
— KB Bhullar (@KB_Bhullar) December 20, 2020
Great main event Both guys class acts I can’t wait to get back to work next year InshAllah
— Belal Muhammad (@bullyb170) December 20, 2020
Great fight @WonderboyMMA #UFCVegas17
— Max Griffin (@MaxPainGriffin) December 20, 2020
Love watching Wonderboy fight… literally the nicest dude in the UFC
— Jordan Espinosa (@statechamp103) December 20, 2020
Congrats @WonderboyMMA great fight!
Karate power! #UFC— Natan Levy (@Levy_Natan) December 20, 2020
Jose Aldo defeats Marlon Vera
Love Chito, but always got for love for Aldo! One of the big men in blue! WEC King!! #UFCVegas17
— Aljamain Sterling (@funkmasterMMA) December 20, 2020
12-0. Chito sucks.
— Sean O’Malley (@SugaSeanMMA) December 20, 2020
Should have kicked his nerve
— Sean O’Malley (@SugaSeanMMA) December 20, 2020
Almost got every fight wrong. Lol Jose broke the streak. Got that one right. I’m rooting for @handzofsteelmma but I picked different.
— Platinum Mike Perry (@PlatinumPerry) December 20, 2020
Damn, @josealdojunior is firing on all cylinders tonight! #UFCVegas17
— Neil Magny (@NeilMagny) December 20, 2020
Congratulations @josealdojunior #UFCVegas17
— John Wayne Makdessi (@JohnMakdessi) December 20, 2020
Congrats, true legend @josealdojunior #UFCVegas17
— GIGA CHIKADZE (@giga_chikadze) December 20, 2020
@josealdojunior vs @daii24_dre . I really like this fight. Like a lot . It’s about time to fight/takeout another legend
— Andre Ewell (@daii24_dre) December 20, 2020
Jose looked good! Chito will be back! High level stuff #UFCVegas17
— Adrian Yanez (@yanezmma) December 20, 2020
Michel Pereira edges Khaos Williams
That fight went all the way and it was worth watching every second. Great job from both fighters #UFCVegas17
— Dwight Grant (@DwightGrant) December 20, 2020
It’s was a good fight my brotha @khaosOXwilliams will be back and even better!!!
— Jamahal “Sweet Dreams” Hill (@JamahalH) December 20, 2020
Rob Font knocks out Marlon Moraes
Congrats to Rob Font. That’s a big feather in his cap and puts him in the Top 5 immediately. This division is ON FIRE! Anyone can be the best on any given day! #UFCVegas17
— Aljamain Sterling (@funkmasterMMA) December 20, 2020
TBF I think when you strike gold 3x in a row, it’ll seem like something happened to him. But his performances against Dodson, Aldo, Assuncao 1, etc kinda shows where he’s at without an early KO finish. And yes, he is a BEAST and hits hard but after that, it’s level playing field. https://t.co/5tFAtnnHTt
— Aljamain Sterling (@funkmasterMMA) December 20, 2020
Tough one for my guy @MMARLONMORAES head up bro!
— GILBERT BURNS DURINHO (@GilbertDurinho) December 20, 2020
What a late stoppage #UFCVegas17
— Rafael dos Anjos (@RdosAnjosMMA) December 20, 2020
Font was on a mission man
— Baldy Ed (@brianboom135) December 20, 2020
Get in there ref #UFCVegas17
— Tim Elliott (@TElliott125) December 20, 2020
@RobSFont is a problem
— Tim Elliott (@TElliott125) December 20, 2020
Didn’t expect that one . Font came through with a big performance! #UFCVegas17
— Derek Brunson (@DerekBrunson) December 20, 2020
Big time win for Font! #UFCVegas17
— Alan Jouban (@AlanJouban) December 20, 2020
@RobSFont is an animal! Looked extra crispy tonight #newenglandcartel #ufcvegas17 #topgamemanagement
— Peter Barrett (@SlipperysWorld) December 20, 2020
That #NewEnglandCartel holding it down! Great performance by @RobSFont
— Tony Kelley (@TonyKelleyMMA) December 20, 2020
Yoo
— khama worthy (@thedeathstar_1) December 20, 2020
Congrats @RobSFont
— Platinum Mike Perry (@PlatinumPerry) December 20, 2020
The hands get it done for font!!!Like I thought!!#UFCVegas17
— Jamahal “Sweet Dreams” Hill (@JamahalH) December 20, 2020
Nice work by Rob Font! Pushed the pace right after the those takedowns. #UFCVegas17
— Adrian Yanez (@yanezmma) December 20, 2020
Red be like “If he dies he dies” #ufc #UFCVegas17
— Emil Valhalla Meek (@emilvalhalla) December 20, 2020
Ron “F’n” Font!!! #UFCVegas17
— Max Griffin (@MaxPainGriffin) December 20, 2020
Them hands forreal!!!!#UFCVegas17
— Jamahal “Sweet Dreams” Hill (@JamahalH) December 20, 2020
New England Cartel! #UFCVegas17
— Kyle Daukaus (@KyleDaukaus) December 20, 2020
That’s how ppl get seriously hurt. Terribly late stoppage imo
— Jordan Espinosa (@statechamp103) December 20, 2020
Wow you could hear the leather connect!! #UFCVegas17
— Dwight Grant (@DwightGrant) December 20, 2020
Marcin Tybura finishes Greg Hardy
Nasty ground and pound is a game changer ! #UFCVegas17
— Derek Brunson (@DerekBrunson) December 20, 2020
That’s a HUGE win for Tybura! Hardy didn’t seem to know what to do in that position. He didn’t look hurt but more confused/lost. #UFCVegas17
— Aljamain Sterling (@funkmasterMMA) December 20, 2020
Congrats to Polish power. You’ll be back @GregHardyJr
— Platinum Mike Perry (@PlatinumPerry) December 20, 2020
Well I picked that one wrong! ♂️
— Alan Jouban (@AlanJouban) December 20, 2020
Tybura looked the best he’s ever looked in his last fight and now hardy is piecing him up
— Belal Muhammad (@bullyb170) December 20, 2020
Holy Ground and Pound #UFCVegas17
— Max Griffin (@MaxPainGriffin) December 20, 2020
Uhhhh maybe some jiu jitsu? #UFCVegas17
— Kyle Daukaus (@KyleDaukaus) December 20, 2020
Great comeback for Tybura!
— Kaiboi Kamaka (@kaiboikamaka) December 20, 2020
Anthony Pettis defeats Alex Morono
Wow pettis finishes with a crazy technical and creative spinning headkick right after throwing a leg kick. Great fight for him! I can’t wait to try that technique tomorrow.
— Chris Weidman (@chrisweidman) December 20, 2020
Good win champ @Showtimepettis.#UFCVegas17
— Michael Chiesa (@MikeMav22) December 20, 2020
Pettit always fun to watch! #UFCVegas17
— Frankie Edgar (@FrankieEdgar) December 20, 2020
Great win congrats bro @Showtimepettis
— Belal Muhammad (@bullyb170) December 20, 2020
MY MAN!!!! @Showtimepettis with the W!!!!!! #UFCVegas17
— Gerald Meerschaert (@The_Real_GM3) December 20, 2020
SHOOOOWTIME #UFCVegas17
— Emil Valhalla Meek (@emilvalhalla) December 20, 2020
Vintage Showtime!! Ya love to see it. #UFCVegas17
— Tanner Boser (@BulldozerBoser) December 20, 2020
Morono has more heart than any man I’ve ever known. Proud to be a teammate of that guy. #UFCVegas17
— Matt Schnell (@DANGER_Caged) December 20, 2020