Written by Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC
Bekzat Almakhan carved out a piece of history for himself at UFC 315.
Matched up with the durable Brad Katona, Almakhan became the first fighter to finish the Canadian bantamweight veteran, landing an uppercut in the opening round that knocked Katona out.
Watch the explosive finish below.
A FINISH ONE MINUTE INTO THE FIGHT TO START #UFC315
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Almakhan’s precision striking was on full display for as long as this fight lasted. When Katona went in to set up one of his trademark takedowns, he was met with a beautifully timed uppercut that immediately robbed him of his senses. A follow-up hammerfist sealed the deal as referee Jason Herzog stepped in for the stoppage just 64 seconds into Round 1.
This was a bounce-back win for Almakhan (12-2), who impressed in his UFC debut against Umar Nurmagomedov despite eventually losing a decision to the then-unbeaten contender. Almakhan has now won 10 of his past 11 fights.
Katona (14-5) falls to 2-2 in his second run with the UFC after becoming a two-time The Ultimate Fighter winner in 2023. This is the first knockout loss of his 10-year pro career.