Taking him down never crossed my mind I was trying to knock his head off.” He pushed me in the direction of throwing game plans out the window. I wish I could head butt it would make it even more fun. It gave me the freedom that I always wanted to do in a wrestling match, which was to punch, kick, elbow, and knee.

I was so amped up after his speech, I was almost in tears I was so ready to go. I did everything he said by going out there and being exciting and trying to get bonus money. “He talked about finishing guys, he's talking about bonuses – and I threw my game plan out the window. “My game plan in that fight was to go out there and take him down, but Dana White came into the room to give his speech,” remembers Elliott. But after White’s fiery speech, Elliott became a bonus hunting madman with desire in his heart and entertainment in his fists and feet.

Unbeknownst to White, the then 8-2-1 Tim Elliott, who was waiting to square off with The Ultimate Fighter 14 winner John Dodson, had prepared to use his wrestling to take Dodson down. In a locker room at the IZOD Center in East Rutherford, New Jersey in the moments prior to UFC on FOX on Cinco de Mayo 2012, one flyweight making his Octagon debut on short notice had his entire perspective on his fight changed by none other than UFC President Dana White. Winning isn’t everything, but winning bonuses is.

Tim elliot mma decisions