Ramazan Temirov is known for being a fast starter and he was at his explosive best in the biggest fight of his career.
Saturday’s UFC Abu Dhabi flyweight co-main event ended in spectacular fashion as Temirov rocked one-time title challenger Steve Erceg with a flurry of punches that dropped him face-down to the canvas in the closing minute of the opening round.
Watch the amazing knockout below.
The smaller Temirov wasted no time rushing at Erceg with a clear plan to end the fight quickly. Erceg defended well early on, but couldn’t get his own offense going, and as Round 1 progressed it was Temirov who began to land more consistently. The end came for Erceg when Temirov caught him with a haymaker of a right hand, followed by two more that put Erceg away.
Referee Mike Beltran officially halted the bout at the 4:21 mark of Round 1.
Temirov (20-3) improved to 3-0 in the UFC following wins over Charles Johnson and CJ Vergara. The 29-year-old was competing for the first time since serving a one-year suspension for a positive drug test in 2025.
Erceg (14-5) sees a two-fight win streak snapped as he falls to 5-4 in the UFC and concedes his top 15 spot in the rankings to Temirov.
