The first UFC event of 2025 delivered an early contender for both Knockout of the Year and Comeback of the Year as Brazil’s Cesar Almeida produced a spectacular highlight-reel finish at UFC Vegas 101.

Former light heavyweight kickboxing world champion Almeida faced heavy-handed knockout artist Abdul Razak Alhassan, and had to battle through adversity after being dropped mid-way through the opening round of their middleweight contest at the UFC APEX.

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That knockdown appeared to put Alhassan in the driver’s seat, and when the action returned to the stand-up, the Ghanaian turned up the power as he attempted to claim a statement finish over the noted striker.

Alhassan unleashed a vicious combination of punches on the Brazilian, who appeared to be moments away from being stopped. But, in a remarkable turn of events, Almeida bit down on his mouthpiece, slipped an Alhassan punch, then unleashed a huge left hook that knocked Alhassan out cold.

It was a stunning way to win a fight, as Almeida turned the tables in the most spectacular way possible to claim the seventh win of his fledgling MMA career and hand Alhassan his first-ever knockout loss.

“Alhassan is so hard, so strong. I knew this when I accepted the fight. It was a dangerous fight,” he told Michael Bisping after his victory.

“But we needed this to grow up in the division and show the UFC. So I am happy, because he could have finished the fight, but I countered and found a KO. I am so happy for this night. Cesar the king is back!”

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As a former world-class kickboxer, Almeida knows that fighters will look to put him on the back foot inside the Octagon, but he revealed that he had prepared to have to go through adversity against such a heavy puncher. And, when the opportunity to counter arose, he was ready to deliver the fight-ending shot.

“I made a plan in the (training) camp about this. I’m like, bro, I am ready. I can see your hands, I can see all your punches. And then he switched and showed me a straight hand, and took me down. But I kept in the fight, went to a single leg and got up.

“Then I knew, bro. He’s coming out strong. You can find his head now. I’m so happy.”

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