UFC Fight Night 244 video: Ramazan Temirov throttles CJ Vergara for first-round debut TKO

Ramazan Temirov didn’t need much time to pick up his first UFC victory, and did so with style at UFC Fight Night 244 in Las Vegas.

[autotag]Ramazan Temirov[/autotag] has arrived.

At UFC Fight Night 244, Uzbekistan’s Temirov (18-2 MMA, 1-0 UFC) made his UFC debut in a flyweight bout against CJ Vergara. It was an introduction to remember, as Temirov left Vergara (12-6-1 MMA, 3-4 UFC) folded over on the canvas just 2:50 into the fight.

It didn’t take long for Temirov to get going.

He opened the action with a spinning back kick to the body, and kept Vergara on his toes defensively from that point on. Out of nowhere, Temirov charged forward with big looping punches. The first missed, but the second caught Vergara clean, sending him stumbling to the canvas.

From there, the swarm was on. Vergara did his best to cover up, but Temirov ripped a hard left to the body, and that was it.

Check out video of the finish below (via X):

Temirov, 27, extends his winning streak to double digits, a run that now includes five consecutive first-round finishes.

“The new superstar of the division, and the new showman, and the new champion has arrived to the flyweight division,” Temirov said during his post-fight interview through an interpreter.

On the other side, Vergara walks away as a loser of two straight fights for the first time in his pro career.

Up-to-the-minute UFC Fight Night 244 results include:

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 244.

Ramazan Temirov vs. CJ Vergara prediction, pick, start time for UFC Fight Night 244

Ramazan Temirov vs. CJ Vergara was a last-minute main card shift at UFC Fight Night 244, but how long will it last?

[autotag]Ramazan Temirov[/autotag] and [autotag]CJ Vergara[/autotag] meet Saturday on the main card opener of UFC Fight Night 244 at UFC Apex in Las Vegas. Check out this quick breakdown of the matchup from MMA Junkie analyst Dan Tom. 

Last event: 3-2
UFC main cards, 2024: 84-74-3

Ramazan Temirov vs. CJ Vergara UFC Fight Night 244 preview

Temirov (17-2 MMA, 0-0 UFC) makes his UFC debut in a main card opening slot, putting his nine-fight winning streak on the line. On his current run, the 27-year-old Uzbekistan native has racked up six first-round finishes, four of which have come consecutively in recent outings. … Vergara (12-5-1 MMA, 3-3 UFC) will look to pour cold water on Temirov’s streak, while remaining about .500 in the UFC. Vergara will need to bounce back from a unanimous decision loss to Asu Almabayev in March.

Ramazan Temirov vs. CJ Vergara UFC Fight Night 244 expert pick, prediction

Despite the impromptu promotion to this spot, Temirov vs. Vergara is an arguable improvement to the endless middleweight slog that the UFC usually force-feeds you in these spots. It’s also great to see more men’s flyweight fights in more prominent positions.

Although the betting line for this fight is a bit wide for my liking, I can understand why Temirov is favored.

Despite Temirov’s lack of UFC sample size, the Master of Sports in hand-to-hand combat looks to be an aggressive athlete with all the instincts for fighting. Temirov is not beyond getting clipped for his aggression early, but the 27-year-old appears capable of powering through both on the feet and the floor.

Vergara strikes should be extra live off clinch breaks, but I’m not sure that Temirov gives the American his preferred space.

For that reason, I’ll semi-reluctantly pick Temirov to force a stoppage by strikes in Round 1.

Ramazan Temirov vs. CJ Vergara UFC Fight Night 244 odds

The oddsmakers and the public heavily favor the Uzbek fighter, listing Temirov -325 and Vergara +250 via FanDuel.

Ramazan Temirov vs. CJ Vergara UFC Fight Night 244 start time, how to watch

Vergara and Temirov are expected to walk to the cage at approximately 7:05 p.m. ET (4:05 p.m. PT). The fight will stream on ESPN+.

[lawrence-related id=2777789,2777913,2777261]

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 244.