Canuto floors Karim in 30 seconds then makes it rain on Daniel Cormier in TUF 34 octagon

GiGi Canuto may have made UFC history twice in the same night on The Ultimate Fighter 34 — first by finishing Anita Karim with devastating body kicks in less than 30 seconds, then by scattering $500 in cash across the octagon floor after collecting on a bet with opposing coach Daniel Cormier.

The 23-year-old Brazilian strawweight’s performance handed Team Michael Bisping its first win of the season and left Cormier reaching into his pocket almost immediately after the final whistle.

“The producers actually told me that I might be the first person to make it rain in an octagon,” Canuto told MMA Fighting. “Because they were like, people are usually not allowed to take money or anything, like they leave their stuff in the warmup room and then they walk out and they have the bucket and gloves. DC had his money in his pocket and I was even saying, ‘You’re already ready, you had that thing ready.’”

Canuto said the moment she had the cash in hand, the temptation was irresistible. “When he gave it to me I was like, how funny would it be for me to make it rain in front of Dana White? Even Dana was just looking at me and he was like, ‘Holy shit. Congrats, kid.’ It was a great experience.”

The bet itself had its roots in a candid exchange backstage. Cormier had quietly encouraged Canuto to keep the fight standing rather than use her grappling — advice that, in hindsight, looked like a tactical nudge toward his own fighter’s strengths. When cameras rolled, Canuto immediately went public with the conversation, prompting the wager.

“He was talking to me like we know each other and he thought we were having a buddy conversation,” Canuto explained. “The moment they were like, ‘We’re live,’ I immediately go, ‘Hey, he was just telling me in the back.’ DC, you can see him in the episode — he was like, ‘Are you going to tell?’ I’m like, ‘Hell yeah, I’m going to tell.’”

Cormier’s familiarity with Canuto likely informed his thinking. The young Brazilian is a decorated jiu-jitsu champion who submitted UFC fighter Denise Gomes with a heel hook at a UFC Fight Pass Invitational event in March 2024, and she trains alongside Andrew Cejudo, brother of former UFC champion Henry Cejudo and a friend of Cormier’s. It appears Cormier calculated that Karim would fare better against Canuto on the feet — a gamble that cost him $500 and, briefly, his dignity.