UFC welterweight Ben Saunders’ win on Saturday’s UFC Fight Night 49 was big, but it didn’t really hit home until he was congratulated by his favorite former WWE superstar.
After submitting Chris Heatherly (0-1) with an omaplata shoulder lock – the first ever successfully performed in UFC history – Saunders (5-3) said he didn’t know how to express his emotions.
“I did not expect it to be this long before I actually got a fight, and I definitely didn’t expect there to be so many obstacles in the way,” Saunders told MMAjunkie Radio today. “But I definitely agree that everything happens for a reason.”
In addition to the accolades the fighter received for his amazing submission maove, he also earned a $50,000 bonus for having the performance of the night.
All that, however, paled in comparison to being congratulated by professional wrestler CM Punk.
Although Saunders now holds the distinction of being the first UFC fighter to submit an opponent with the shoulder lock, and he is $50,000 richer courtesy of a “Performance of the Night” bonus, it was another accolade that made him geek out.
Professional wrestler CM Punk, a devout MMA fan, celebrated his omaplata submission on Twitter:
Omoplata!!!!! @bensaundersMMA @ufc #UFCFightNight
— Coach (@CMPunk) August 24, 2014
“That was one of the coolest things in the world – him hitting me up for that,” Saunders said. “I’m a big fan of his, and it was an absolute honor to get attention from him.”
