Powerbomb KO at UFC Vegas 109, two boxers die from injuries sustained on same card, Dricus du Plessis impressed by Anthony Hernandez: MMA News Roundup

Elijah Smith knockout win at UFC Vegas 109. [Image courtesy: Getty]
Elijah Smith knockout win at UFC Vegas 109. [Image courtesy: Getty]

Welcome to today's edition of Sportskeeda MMA News Roundup! Elijah Smith left the MMA community stunned at UFC Vegas 109. Meanwhile, two Japanese boxers, Shigetoshi Kotari and Hiromasa Urakawa, passed away from brain injuries sustained on the same fight card. Also, UFC middleweight champion Dricus du Plessis praised Anthony Hernandez after his dominant win over Roman Dolidze. Let's break them all down:

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Elijah Smith’s powerbomb KO shocks MMA world at UFC Vegas 109

UFC bantamweight Elijah Smith put the division on notice at UFC Vegas 109. He stunned the crowd with a jaw-dropping powerbomb knockout against Toshiomi Kazama.

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Early in the fight, Kazama chased takedowns and leglocks, but Smith punished him with elbows and short punches during scrambles. The decisive moment came when Kazama attempted a triangle choke.

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Smith lifted him high and slammed him headfirst into the canvas. Kazama went limp instantly, and Smith followed with two punches before referee Chris Tognoni intervened.


Two Japanese boxers die from brain injuries on same fight card

The boxing community is mourning the loss of two fighters who died days apart after suffering brain injuries on the same fight card. Shigetoshi Kotari passed away on Friday, and Hiromasa Urakawa died Saturday. Both boxers were just 28 years old.

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The tragic events occurred at Korakuen Hall in Tokyo on Aug. 2. Kotari collapsed after a grueling 12-round draw with Yamato Hata, while Urakawa was knocked out by Yoji Saito. Both men underwent surgery for subdural hematoma, but neither recovered.

The World Boxing Organisation expressed its condolences to Urakawa’s family, and the WBC issued a statement mourning Kotari, calling the losses “irreparable.”


Dricus du Plessis praises Anthony Hernandez’s UFC Vegas 109 performance

Anthony Hernandez capped UFC Vegas 109 with a dominant submission win over Roman Dolidze. The victory earned him high praise from UFC middleweight champion Dricus du Plessis.

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Hernandez pressured Dolidze, wearing him down with constant strikes and positional control. By the later rounds, the Georgian fighter was visibly exhausted, repeatedly collapsing under Hernandez’s pace.

In the fourth, Hernandez landed a barrage of knees before securing a rear-naked choke submission at the 2:45 mark. Du Plessis took to X and wrote:

“What a performance by Fluffy!”

Check out the X post below:

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Edited by Abhishek Nambiar
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