Welcome to the latest edition of Missed Fists where we shine a light on fights from across the globe that may have been overlooked in these hectic times where it seems like there’s an MMA show every other day.
You ever have a massive win, then immediately turn that W into an L just moments later? We’ve all been there.
(Big thanks as always to @Barrelelapierna for their weekly lists of the best KOs and submissions, and to @Grabaka_Hitman for uploading many of the clips you see here. Give them a follow
and chip in on Patreon if you can.)
Ever Joel Maldonado vs. Rodrigo Fernandez
You’re Ever Joel Maldonado.
You’re an amateur. This is your first-ever fight. About two minutes in, you get fancy with it, launching a head kick followed by a backhand, just like you saw in that movie one time. The backhand connects. Your opponent crumbles. You continue to attack. The referee steps in. You’ve won. You’ve won!
Then it happens.
Qué mejor manera de debutar que así? Señoras y señores les presentamos a Ever Joel Maldonado #mma #afl #undergroundseries #aflmma #spanishmma pic.twitter.com/8oWalZUh1y
— AFL MMA (@AFLMMASPAIN) July 28, 2025
Celebrating with a post-fight backflip is a time-honored tradition, and Maldonado isn’t the first fighter to slip (the great Georges St-Pierre notoriously messed up his victory flips on multiple occasions), but you better have a graceful recovery and this wasn’t that. The rest of the post-fight antics can’t make up for that gaffe, I’m sorry to say. Congrats on the victory, regardless!
And hey, at least he didn’t attempt a Justin Gaethje flip because imagine if that went wrong in a similar way.
Justin Gaethje is in the house! #APFC18 pic.twitter.com/IOFpbCn5Rx
— UFC FIGHT PASS (@UFCFightPass) July 28, 2025
You can catch more Ansgar Fighting League action when they stream events live on Twitch. That’s pretty cool!
Donte Johnson vs. James Ford
Hector Saenz vs. Iler Bakhtiyar
Truthfully, Maldonado’s face-plant was nowhere near as bad as what happened to James Ford and Iler Bakhtiyar at Fury Challenger Series 14 (free replay available on YouTube) in Houston.
Donte Johnson added to his growing highlight reel with a brutal series of fight-ending punches that put the too-tough Ford down for the count.
Donte Johnson!!!!#FCS14 pic.twitter.com/bOIk8KlrWj
— Fury FC (@FuryFightingTX) July 27, 2025
The 26-year-old light heavyweight is now 5-0 as a pro, with all of his wins coming by way of first-round knockout.
Sunday’s event also saw the return of “El Gato Borracho” (or “The Drunk Cat”) Hector Saenz, who we last saw executing a nasty kimura to get a win this past January. This time, he showed off his punching power, flooring Bakhtiyar to claim an interim lightweight title.
And ICYMI, Bella Mir continued to build buzz as she channeled Bob Backlund to submit Stephanie Calderon and improve to 4-0 as a pro.
Loai Abushaar vs. Edmund Kwan
Noah Bey vs. Cedric Manhoef
At LFA 213 (replay available on UFC Fight Pass), gigantic 6-foot-4 lightweight Loai Abushaar used every bit of that impressive leg length to raise a knee up into Edmund Kwan’s jaw and score a 51-second knockout.
THE KNEE!!
— UFC FIGHT PASS (@UFCFightPass) July 27, 2025
Loai Abushaar scores a knockout at #LFA213! pic.twitter.com/exJCp5AB17
Kwan’s consciousness is up in space dancing with the Silver Surfer still.
On that same show, kickboxing standout Noah Bey won his fourth straight MMA fight putting Cedric Manhoef (yes, the younger cousin of the legendary Melvin Manhoef) to sleep in deceivingly gentle fashion.
He put him to sleep!! #LFA213
— UFC FIGHT PASS (@UFCFightPass) July 27, 2025
Noah Bey gets the knockout in round 3! pic.twitter.com/kSSquuBATA
Like, it almost looked as if he was guiding Manhoef softly down to the mat… you know, before pummeling him with hammerfists.
Jalin Fuller vs. Mac Laursen
Cesar Vazquez vs. Daniel Lugo
Also on UFC Fight Pass, we had one of the best submissions of the year executed by Jalin Fuller at Anthony Pettis FC 18, and a well-timed head kick courtesy of Cesar Vasquez at Lux Fight League 53.
Fuller went full boa constrictor on Mac Laursen, going for a crucifix and then using his legs to secure a hammerlock before adding in the choke for the win.
WHAT A CHOKE FROM JALIN FULLER #APFC18 pic.twitter.com/60pVhBNlpT
— UFC FIGHT PASS (@UFCFightPass) July 28, 2025
In that moment, I can imagine Laursen thinking, “Jiu-jitsu is fun, they said…”
As for Vazquez, he gave Daniel Lugo a painful reminder that you have to be careful when standing up against the fence!
OH MY!! #LUX053
— UFC FIGHT PASS (@UFCFightPass) July 26, 2025
Cesar Vasquez with the head kick KO! pic.twitter.com/GqrvQ63XSz
Aaaaaaand there’s another face-plant.
Adamu Isah vs. Lucas Da Costa
Braden Peterson vs. Chris Thompson
Ransom Hinojosa vs. Lars Whittenberger
Isaiah Garcia vs. Isaiah Haines
The fine folks at Spectation Sports have you covered when it comes to regional highlights and replays (via their subscription streaming service) and this week the spotlight shone on events in Independence, Mo., and Great Falls, Mont.
Watch this knockout from Adamu Isah. I still have no clue how he got any real power on this.
This fade-away KO from Adamu Isah pic.twitter.com/dnpaWEll7G
— Spectation Sports (@SpectationNet) July 30, 2025
He’s shifting his weight, throwing blind, and WHAM, Lucas Da Costa walks right into it. Da Costa wasn’t KO’d immediately, but there was no coming back from that shake-up.
Braden Peterson gave us a wild heavyweight knockout in his pro debut and we thank him for it.
Braden Peterson with a 15 second KO pic.twitter.com/x1pQmTrTpE
— Spectation Sports (@SpectationNet) July 30, 2025
In amateur action, Ransom Hinojosa needed just 19 seconds to send Lars Whittenberger packing, and Isaiah Garcia engaged in some regrettable Isaiah on Isaiah crime with a beautiful reversal into an anaconda choke on Isaiah Haines.
It’s not every day you see a 19 second KO….
— Spectation Sports (@SpectationNet) July 31, 2025
Ransom Hinojosa made a stataement!!! pic.twitter.com/LLC23AyElw
Isaiah Garcia defends and then hit Isaiah Haines with the reverse submission pic.twitter.com/CnJPQAxHnC
— Spectation Sports (@SpectationNet) July 30, 2025
Adailson Martelo vs. Elisson Lima
Jason Herzog, relax, you might not have been the worst in-cage official in July.
That dishonor goes to this-lucky for him-unidentified individual at Coari Champions 7 in Amazonas, Brazil, who sat idly by as Adailson Martelo attempted to hammer Elisson Lima through the mat.
Adeilson Martelo buries Ellison Lima with a 2nd round left hook KO. Holy shit. One of the crazier regional scraps I've seen this year, I won't even attempt a HL. #CoariChampions7 pic.twitter.com/p3G4J8RNf0
— caposa (@Grabaka_Hitman) July 31, 2025
Confusing behavior here as Martelo looked remorseful afterwards despite (eventually, anyway) having to be forcefully stopped from battering Lima.
That referee should be legally obligated to pay Lima’s medical bills.
If you know of a recent fight or event that you think may have been overlooked, or a promotion that could use some attention, please let us know on X — @AlexanderKLee — using the hashtag #MissedFists.
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- Morning Report | Arman Tsarukyan calls for title eliminator with Justin Gaethje: ‘He doesn’t deserve title fight’
- Tabatha Ricci reacts to Amanda Ribas’ facial injury suffered in UFC Abu Dhabi fight
- Robert Whittaker releases first statement since disappointing UFC Abu Dhabi loss
- Dricus du Plessis praises Tom Aspinall as ‘next generation of heavyweight’
