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Another weekend has passed with another successful UFC event in the books. The organization held another show at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada. Events like these could help build the profile of those who might feature on future pay-per-views.
The titular bout in this event was between surging welterweight contenders Belal Muhammad and Vicente Luque. Muhammad was looking to avenge his loss from the pair's first fight in 2016. This remains the only time 'Remember the Name' has ever been finished.
The Roufusport fighter was able to secure a dominant decision victory after five rounds and add to the impetus propelling him towards championship territory. Many of the other fights on the card went to the judges, but there were a handful of exciting finishes.
Here are the five best finishes from UFC Fight Night: Luque vs. Muhammad:
#5. UFC Fight Night: Heili Alateng defeats Kevin Croom
Although this event, in particular, utilized the judges rather frequently, that's not at all how the card started. Both fighters needed a win here to get back to their winning ways, especially for Kevin Croom, who's now 0-3-1 in the organization since joining in 2020.
Although his first fight was originally an impressive win, it was overturned due to a failed drug test after testing positive for marijuana in his system. Alateng, on the other hand, entered this bout coming off a draw that followed a decision loss to Casey Kenney.
As both fighters were eager to grab a victory, 'The Mongolian Knight' couldn't wait to get going and landed a vicious overhand right within the first minute of the bout. The subsequent barrage of shots put 'Crash' on the mat, and the referee felt that any further damage would be unnecessary. Quite the bout to jerk the curtain for this event. Only 47-seconds had gone by, and the first fight of the evening had already met a conclusion.
#4. Rafa Garcia submits Jesse Ronson
Whether they are thrown intentionally or not, illegal techniques are the number one thing to mar a great performance. As seen in the bout that precluded this one, Chris Barnett was on the receiving end of an illegal elbow and lost a technical decision because of it. Martin Buday was ahead on the judges' scorecards, which resulted in the victory. Even so, the win doesn't come across as compelling.
The illegal strikes spilled over into Garcia and Ronson's bout. While working his way up, Ronson took a knee to the face, a strike that was thrown just a tad prematurely. This resulted in a point deduction, which would have been significant had this fight gone to the judges.
No judges were needed, however. 'Gifted' was able to take his opponent's back and sink in the rear naked choke submission with only ten seconds left in the fight's second round.
#3. Drakkar Klose closes the show
Klose took some time off after being finished for the first time in his professional career at the hands of contender Beneil Dariush. As it's been some time, this long of a layoff wasn't exactly the plan for the 34-year-old. He was matched against UFC veteran Jeremy Stephens in April 2021, but a violent shove at the weigh-ins caused an injury that forced Klose to withdraw.
Finally, the fighter hailing from Michigan was able to return, and he sure made up for lost time. The only takeaways were how heavy-handed Klose is and how solid a chin Jenkins lays claim to.
The second round was necessary, but just barely. Klose continued his onslaught almost immediately and put 'The Human Highlight Reel' down in a way so convincing that the fight was called off.
#2. Devin Clark takes out William Knight
The 32-year-old Clark needed a good performance to show that he's still UFC material following two consecutive losses. Granted, losing to Anthony Smith and Ion Cutelaba isn't something for one to hang one's head over for too long, but a three-fight losing streak doesn't do one's position in the company any good.
William Knight entered this fight off a loss too. Hoping to hop back into the win column, 'Knightmare' moved up to the heavyweight division to try his luck against the bigger competitors.
The undersized Clark felt the strength difference early in the fight but was able to weather the storm and turn the fight into one that would favor him. As a cage-side clinch was broken, Clark was able to land an elbow strike and followed it with a left hook that almost seated his opponent. A few more shots resulted in a third-round TKO victory for 'Brown Bear'.
#1. Andre Fialho finishes Miguel Baeza
What a fight this was. Just shy of hitting the five-minute mark, it was pure entertainment and one of the most memorable fights on the card. Miguel Baeza entered riding a two-fight losing streak, most recently being finished for the first time. His opponent, Andre Fialho, made his sophomore UFC appearance after losing his debut to the challenge that is Michel Pereira.
Momentum shifted multiple times in this fight. It seemed to be the pressure of Fialho versus the finesse of 'Caramel Thunder'. The 29-year-old was able to find the mark frequently as the round hit its midpoint. Vicious combinations that would've floored any lesser welterweights began landing.
The Portuguese fighter was able to take it and put his durability on full display. More than toughness, he showed his power. Uppercuts from the clinch put Baeza on wobbly legs. It took one of the 28-year-old's lead hooks to floor his opponent. After a few hammer fists, the fight was called off.
