On Saturday, Nov. 15, one of the most anticipated UFC cards of the year took place at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Highlighted by two championship bouts, the card was stacked with talent. Not only did the fights provide high-level entertainment, but the athletes delivered some of the wildest knockouts of the year on the sport’s biggest stage.
Hopefully you didn’t blink, because you might have missed the opening fireworks. Benoit Saint-Denis made quick work of veteran lightweight contender Beneil Dariush. The fighters immediately exchanged heavy shots, with Dariush briefly hurting Saint-Denis. But as Saint-Denis rose from the canvas, he delivered a powerful left hook that ended the fight instantly. The bout lasted just 16 seconds — the sixth-fastest finish in UFC lightweight history. Saint-Denis is now on a three-fight win streak, all by finish (two submissions and one knockout). He is expected to face another highly ranked opponent next, and a title shot could soon be within reach.
Another fighter who won by knockout may get that opportunity even sooner. Carlos “The Nightmare” Prates took on former UFC welterweight champion Leon Edwards in a matchup fans expected to deliver fireworks. The opening round was competitive, with both fighters landing meaningful strikes. Edwards used his wrestling to secure two takedowns and finished with more total and significant strikes. But Prates, one of the “Fighting Nerds,” proved that fighting isn’t all about the numbers. He landed a devastating straight punch that knocked Edwards unconscious — the first knockout loss of Edwards’ UFC career. Prates climbed atop the cage and gestured for a championship belt, a clear message about the fight he wants next. With a finish like that, a title shot wouldn’t be surprising.
The knockouts kept coming. Welterweight Michael Morales made quick work of championship contender Sean Brady. From the opening exchange, Morales’ power was evident, hurting Brady early. Brady attempted to hang on, but Morales’ pressure overwhelmed him. Morales secured a knockout at 3:27 of the first round, extending his win streak to 19-0. Entering the fight, Brady was ranked No. 2 in the welterweight division, while Morales sat at No. 8. And with Carlos Prates (No. 9) knocking out Leon Edwards (No. 4) earlier in the evening, the rankings appear destined for a major shake-up. Whether Morales and Prates end up facing one another remains to be seen.
One of the most anticipated women’s fights of the year featured Valentina Shevchenko and Zhang Weili. Weili vacated her strawweight title to move up to flyweight in pursuit of becoming the second woman in UFC history to hold championships in two divisions. She had dominated the strawweight division, making the move up appear inevitable. But Shevchenko is far from an easy test. One of the greatest women’s fighters of all time, she entered the bout with a 10-1-1 record in title fights. Her elite grappling was on full display Saturday, as she controlled Weili across all five rounds with five takedowns. The size difference was apparent: Shevchenko is an inch taller with a 3.5-inch reach advantage. While the bout wasn’t as action-packed as many expected, it delivered a clear answer: Valentina Shevchenko remains the top women’s fighter in the sport.
In the main event, UFC welterweight champion Jack Della Maddalena was expected to be the toughest challenge Islam Makhachev had faced so far. For the first time in years, many doubted Makhachev’s chances. He had repeatedly proven himself as lightweight champion before vacating the title to pursue a belt at 170 pounds. Even after breaking the UFC lightweight record for most title defenses (four), it was clear he struggled to stay at 155 pounds. But Saturday night showed that the transition to welterweight suited him perfectly. Makhachev dominated all five rounds with his signature Dagestani wrestling, smothering the champion. Della Maddalena appeared overwhelmed, and commentary suggested he may have suffered an early injury that hampered his performance. Despite defending well at times, he was unable to generate any offense, leading to a clear decision victory for Makhachev.
With the win, Islam Makhachev became the 11th UFC fighter to earn championships in two divisions. After a night full of explosive welterweight performances, he will have no shortage of elite contenders awaiting him in his new weight class.
