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#4. Round 2: Dominick Reyes vs. Jiri Prochazka (UFC Vegas 25)
Jiri Prochazka pulled off one of the best finishes of 2021 against Dominick Reyes at UFC Vegas 25. The American, visibly exhausted from the pounding he received in round one, took an aggressive approach in the second. However, the Czech seemed undeterred and cautiously warded off the strikes.
Two minutes into the round, things intensified as both light heavyweights engaged in a flurry of exchanges. From hard elbows to flying knees, they tried whatever they could to dominate the other.
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Taking advantage of an unsuccessful takedown attempt by Prochazka in the third minute of the round, Reyes tried finishing the Czech using a guillotine choke. Unfortunately, it didn't materialize.
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Capitalizing on the failed submission attempt, 'Denisa' fired all cylinders on Reyes from the top position until 'The Devastator' scrambled back to his feet.
However, Prochazka continued the onslaught from the standing position and overwhelmed Reyes with high-volume striking.
Right when it seemed like the round couldn't get any better, the Czech caught Reyes with his back to the cage and uncorked a magnificent spinning elbow to knock him out cold.
#3. Round 1: Justin Gaethje vs. Michael Chandler (UFC 268)
UFC 268 saw Michael Chandler and Justin Gaethje lock horns for one of the best fights of the year at the iconic Madison Square Garden arena. It was a game of nerves, grit and determination as Gaethje and Chandler left no stone unturned in punishing each other in the octagon.
Gaethje started in his usual fashion, relying on his explosiveness to stamp his authority over Chandler. However, ‘Iron’ isn’t someone to give up easily.
He charged at Gaethje with everything he had and even managed to land a greater volume of significant strikes in the opening round. According to official UFC stats, Chandler landed 49 significant strikes to Gaethje's 40. Absorbing leg kicks from one of the most effective kickers in the UFC and moving forward isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. Interestingly, Michael Chandler took 10 of them in the first round.
The remainder of the fight was pretty much the same. Despite the fatigue and the numerous cuts, both fighters continued trading blows till the end. Although Gaethje eventually won, it was the first time in the UFC that he had to go the distance to secure a victory.
