The UFC's Fight of the Night bonuses are tricky. The cash is nice and the fans love the fellas who go for broke, but it doesn't necessarily lead to title shots or superstardom.
Guys like Chris Lytle (eight postfight awards) and Sam Stout don't care. Stout faces Yves Edwards this week at UFC 131 in Vancouver and is planning on doing the same thing that he does in each fight. If that means absorbing some punishment to dish out even more, then so be it.
Some have criticized that "Fight of the Night" mentality. Stout fired back during our conversation on RawVegas.
"I think that's ridiculous to say I'm not fighting to win," Stout said. "I have a more fast-paced style. Yeah, maybe it's a little reckless at times. You know, I may not have the most finishes, but you can't watch any of my fights and say I didn't put in my all."
The 27-year-old Stout is 5-5 with the UFC. He's won Fight of the Night honors five times, good for a total in excess of $200,000 in bonuses. He's also gone just 3-2 in those fights. Stout is fine with that because he doesn't like what he's seeing from some of the champions and other fighters who are on the brink of a title shot.
"They're seeing the title belt at the end of the tunnel and they're really more focused on not losing than they are on winning," Stout said. "If we see more of these fights where guys throw jabs at each other for five rounds, or three rounds, and just squeak out a decision on points, I think it's going to be a sad thing for the sport."
Stout (16-6 , 5-5 UFC) is a minus-160 favorite against Edwards (40-16, 7-3 UFC). Edwards, like Stout, has long been a promotion go-to guy. He first fought in the UFC back in 2001 at UFC 33.
In his latest stint with the UFC, Edwards has won two straight. That includes a win over Cody McKenzie at UFC Fight for the Troops 2 where pocketed $60,000 for grabbing Fight of the Night and Submission of the Night honors.
You can watch UFC 131 right here on Yahoo! Sports
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