Maurício Ruffy

Ruffy weathered an early storm from Fiziev before taking over in the second round, dropping the Azerbaijani with a clean right cross late in the frame. Fiziev rose but collapsed under the follow-up onslaught, forcing the referee to wave it off with about 30 seconds left in the round.

Key moments

• Survived Fiziev's pressure and leg kicks through a competitive opening round
• Landed the fight-changing right cross in the closing minute of round two
• Swarmed with finishing strikes as Fiziev wobbled back to his feet
• Bounced back from his first pro loss to re-enter the lightweight title picture

In the UFC Paris co-main event, Saint-Denis grounded Ruffy early and dominated with his grappling, controlling top position across the fight. He took the back in the second round and locked up a rear-naked choke to force the tap, handing Ruffy his first professional loss.

Key moments

• Saint-Denis secured an early takedown and controlled most of round one
• Ruffy struggled to create space or threaten off his back
• Saint-Denis climbed to the back and sank the choke in round two
• First career loss; exposed Ruffy's grappling under sustained pressure

Ruffy flatlined veteran Bobby 'King' Green with a perfectly timed spinning wheel kick to the head just over two minutes into the first round. The finish was the 16th wheel-kick knockout in UFC history and a leading 2025 Knockout of the Year contender.

Key moments

• Landed a clean spinning wheel kick flush to Green's head
• Green dropped instantly, prompting an immediate stoppage
• 16th wheel-kick KO in UFC history, drawing Edson Barboza comparisons
• Earned a Performance of the Night bonus

At Madison Square Garden, Ruffy outpointed the durable James Llontop over three rounds to win a unanimous decision (29-28 across the board). It was the first time in his career he was taken the distance, ending a run of stoppage wins.

Key moments

• Controlled the striking exchanges over three rounds
• Llontop's toughness dragged Ruffy into his first decision
• Won 29-28 on all three scorecards
• First pro fight to reach the judges

On his UFC debut in Rio de Janeiro, Ruffy battered Jamie Mullarkey, bloodying his nose before finishing with a barrage of strikes late in the first round. The flashy performance drew 'young Conor McGregor' comparisons.

Key moments

• Dominated the striking from the opening bell on debut
• Broke Mullarkey down with volume and power
• Finished with a late first-round flurry for the TKO
• Announced himself as a Fighting Nerds prospect to watch