UFC Fight Night 248 had only six finishes in 13 fights, but those fight-enders included some all-timers.
UFC Fight Night 248 may have taken place in the middle of the night for a big part of its North American audience, but that didn’t mean there was a shortage of highlights.
Saturday, the 13 bouts on the card in Macau included fewer than half as finishes. But the ones that did come with fight-ending highlights were big-time, including two reasonably insane head kicks.
In the aftermath, check out all six of those finishes, with a couple all-time highlight-reel knockouts, in the video above.
Denise Gomes was a heavy betting favorite and won for the second straight time when she outworked Karolina Kowalkiewicz.
LAS VEGAS – [autotag]Denise Gomes[/autotag] beat Karolina Kowalkiewicz with a unanimous decision Saturday to close out the preliminary card at UFC Fight Night 247 at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.
Take a look inside the fight with Gomes, a heavy betting favorite who won for the second straight time.
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – NOVEMBER 09: (R-L) Denise Gomes of Brazil punches Karolina Kowalkiewicz of Poland in a strawweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at UFC APEX on November 09, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)
“I was expecting a knockout or submission. But considering how tough she is and her track record, I know that it was a tough task. But I believe I grew to the occasion. I fought as a more mature fighter and I think the result shows.”
Back-to-back wins 😤
Denise Gomes takes the Unanimous Decision at #UFCVegas100 !
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – NOVEMBER 09: (L-R) Karolina Kowalkiewicz of Poland punches Denise Gomes of Brazil in a strawweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at UFC APEX on November 09, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)
“I think that if I’m getting matched with her, that means that I’m doing something (right). I’m still building my story with the UFC, and she had been through ups and downs and through most of the division’s history. I think if the UFC is giving me the opportunities, it’s because they see something.
“As much as I’m looking for my place in the division, and I have to face the more experienced opponents like Karolina, I know that if I do everything right, I’m going to be in their position in the near future, or in the long future. Respect is a thing that is super important. I have to respect them for what they did throughout their career and how they got to where they are because hopefully in due time, I’m going to be in the position that she is right now – fighting the young lions and having to defend my spot.”
Gomes on what she wants next
“I don’t really care much about the name of the opponent. I just want something that is going to push me forward. Karolina, before, she was ranked. She got tossed out of the rankings maybe like two weeks ago. I was expecting to get ranked (if I beat her), so hopefully maybe someone (next) who was ranked already. … I want to move forward, and moving forward in our case right now is getting ranked. I believe that I did more than enough to deserve to fight a ranked opponent.”
To hear more from Gomes, check out the video of the full post-fight interview above.
Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos snapped a two-fight winless skid with a 75-second finish of short-notice replacement Zach Scroggin.
LAS VEGAS – [autotag]Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos[/autotag] beat Zach Scroggin with a first-round TKO Saturday on the preliminary card at UFC Fight Night 247 at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.
Take a look inside the fight with Zaleski dos Santos, who snapped a two-fight winless skid with the 75-second finish.
Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos def. Zach Scroggin
Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos
Result:Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos def. Zach Scroggin via TKO (strikes) – Round 1, 1:15 Updated records: Zaleski dos Santos (25-8-1 MMA, 11-4-1 UFC), Scroggin (7-1 MMA, 0-1 UFC) Key stats: Zaleski dos Santos closed as the biggest betting favorite on the card against Scroggin, a short-notice replacement who missed weight for the welterweight bout.
Zaleski dos Santos on the fight’s key moment
Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos def. Zach Scroggin, UFC Fight Night 247 (via UFC)
“I thought I was going to face (Nicolas) Dalby, which was going to be a rematch and some opportunity for revenge. I really thought I won that fight about 10 years ago when I first came into the UFC. Unfortunately, the fight didn’t happen, but we just had to make adjustments. We put in the work with everything that we needed to.”
Zaleski dos Santos on travel woes
“I think the hardest part was actually making it to Vegas. It took us forever to (get there). We had all these delays on the flight, and then we ended up taking like two days to get here. We were supposed to be here early in the week and then we ended up being here Tuesday night, almost Wednesday morning. But I think all the work that you put in before and all the work that you put in the camp gives you all the tools that you need to continue on and perform when you come to the fight.”
Zaleski dos Santos on what he wants next
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – NOVEMBER 09: (L-R) Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos of Brazil punches Zach Scroggin in a welterweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at UFC APEX on November 09, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)
“I think this opportunity (to fight Dalby) kind of passed. For right now, this opportunity is kind of gone. I know that eventually, we could have that fight. But right now, I’m thinking of the next step.”
To hear more from Zaleski dos Santos, check out the video of the full post-fight interview above.
Charlie Radtke wrapped up the last fight of his contract with a bonus-winning finish.
LAS VEGAS – [autotag]Charlie Radtke[/autotag] beat Matthew Semelsberger with a first-round TKO Saturday on the preliminary card at UFC Fight Night 247 at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.
Take a look inside the fight with Radtke, who wrapped up the last fight of his contract with a bonus-winning finish.
Charlie Radtke def. Matthew Semelsberger, UFC Fight Night 247 (via UFC)
“I honestly planned for a 15-minute war with that guy. He’s a stud. To be as honest as possible, I was real nervous because you’re talking about this kid as a dog. He comes out there and gives it for the full 15 minutes (when he fights). You’re going to have to put him out, right? But what do you do with the dog? Euthanize.”
Radtke on getting emotional over his finish, potential bonus
“My wife and I are moving to Chicago. This is the last fight of my contract. This is my opportunity to provide. That’s why (I got emotional). ”
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – NOVEMBER 09: (R-L) Charles Radtke punches Matthew Semelsberger in a welterweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at UFC APEX on November 09, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)
“No names in particular, but I’m going to be active (in 2025). I’ve been active. I’ve had four fights in almost a calendar year, so I’m super active every three to four months. I’m fighting. So honestly, I’m just waiting to tet a call and then we’ll go from there. But for right now, I’m going to get a glass of whiskey, a cigar with my boys, my brother. My wife doesn’t drink, so I will be drinking with them.”
To hear more from Radtke, check out the video of the full post-fight interview above.
Da’Mon Blackshear snapped a two-fight skid and picked up his second UFC bonus.
LAS VEGAS – [autotag]Da’Mon Blackshear[/autotag] beat Cody Stamann with a first-round submission Saturday on the preliminary card at UFC Fight Night 247 at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.
Take a look inside the fight with Blackshear, who snapped a two-fight skid and picked up his second UFC bonus.
“It felt good. It felt smooth. I think initially, I was just gauging my range, trying to figure him out. I thought he was going to close the range a little bit differently, but I figured him out. I found some timing. I found some setups, so that’s good. I’ve seen multiple scenarios, and that was one of them. Definitely, I was going to hurt him and he was going to shoot desperately, and I was going to get behind. If I took his back, and he gave me the submission, boom: I was going to take it.”
Back in the WIN column! 🥵
Da'Mon Blackshear gets the Rear Naked Choke in Round 1
Da’Mon Blackshear def. Cody Stamann, UFC Fight Night 247
“I try to be indifferent to it, but I just had to keep pushing for it, just keep keep my nose to the grind. I know that my skill level is where it needs to be, that I was going to get my Ws. (Coming off two losses), you know you want that one. You want that one desperately.”
Blackshear on what he wants next
“I don’t have an opponent in mind. Whoever they want to give me. I want to get back in there as soon as possible. I’m healthy, I’m young, I’m ready to go. Honestly, I’m still shooting for a fight before the end of this year – one more fight before the end of this year, and then I’m balling out in 2025, taking about five fights.”
To hear more from Blackshear, check out the video of the full post-fight interview above.
Tresean Gore returned from a layoff of more than two years to notch his second straight guillotine choke finish.
LAS VEGAS – [autotag]Tresean Gore[/autotag] beat Antonio Trocoli with a first-round submission Saturday on the preliminary card at UFC Fight Night 247 at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.
Take a look inside the fight with Gore, who returned from a layoff of more than two years to notch his second straight guillotine choke finish.
Gore on the fight’s key moment, broadcast criticism
Tresean Gore, Michael Bisping UFC Fight Night 247
“Bisping literally always (criticizes my finishes). I don’t know why. Everything I do is just untechnical and wrong. Last time, I got that choke on that guy Josh (Fremd), he was like, ‘Oh man, it’s good. But it’s so super untechnical.’ Like bro: It was that untechnical because I literally just got the same choke in a row. It’s called a standing arm-in guillotine. It’s a technique. I shot on him and I switched the single leg to a (double). Probably if he says that’s not technical, then he doesn’t know how to grapple.
“But I respect him. He’s a former champion and I look forward to becoming a champion myself one day. I would never ever beef with a guy like this and I respect him. I’m trying to follow his path. He became a champion. I didn’t. I haven’t done sh*t in this sport, so I respect the pioneers like him, and I do crave to get that respect from veterans like him.”
Gore on his layoff
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – NOVEMBER 09: (L-R) Tresean Gore secures a guillotine choke submission against Antonio Trocoli of Brazil in a middleweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at UFC APEX on November 09, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)
“It was the hardest time in my life, to be honest. This is a quick sport and people move on. Now I watch people move on and I watch how fickle the fans were, and it made me closer to my wife, it made me closer to my son and more importantly, it made me closer to God. It made it made me really get in tune with God. And I feel like I’m where I need to be now, mentally.”
Gore on what he wants next
Bo Nickal
“I feel freaking good and I’m ready to get back in here. I would like to have the fight with Bo (Nickal) rebooked and fight him healthy.”
To hear more from Gore, check out the video of the full post-fight interview above.
Karolina Kowalkiewicz was very emotional when addressing her loss at UFC Fight Night 247.
[autotag]Karolina Kowalkiewicz[/autotag] was very emotional when addressing her loss at UFC Fight Night 247.
Kowalkiewicz (16-9 MMA, 9-9 UFC) lost a unanimous decision to Denise Gomes (10-3 MMA, 4-2 UFC) this past Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. The former UFC strawweight title challenger has now lost two straight.
“Hey guys, I’m so sorry, but thank you for your support, for your love,” Kowalkiewicz said on her Instagram stories (h/t Full Send MMA). “I’m OK, as you can see, I’m OK. just my heart is broken. I had a really great fight camp, perfect weight cutting, I felt really, really good. I was in really good shape, but my opponent, she’s better than me, what can I say? Big congratulations for her, she did a really great job. Give me some time and see you soon. I’m not going to retire, don’t worry.”
Karolina Kowalkiewicz tears up after her loss to Denise Gomes at UFC Vegas 100
“My heart is broken. Give me some time and I’ll see you soon, I’m not going to retire don’t worry”. pic.twitter.com/YxlsvES7rp
Kowalkiewicz is no stranger to bouncing back. She was able to turn a five-fight losing streak to four straight wins from 2022 to 2023, defeating Felice Herrig, Silvana Gomez Juarez, Vanessa Demopoulos, and Diana Belbita.
Check out the latest episode of MMA Junkie Radio with “Gorgeous” George and “Goze.”
Monday’s episode of MMA Junkie Radio with “Gorgeous” George and “Goze” is here.
On Episode 3,513, the fellas welcome in guests Andreas Hale and Curtis Millender. They also looked ahead to UFC 309, recapped UFC Fight Night 247 and much more. Tune in!
MMA Junkie Radio hosts “Gorgeous” George and Goze will take your questions on everything combat sports at noon ET.
“Spinning Back Clique” is off this week, but MMA Junkie Radio is hosting a special live stream Q&A with “Gorgeous” George and “Goze” on Monday at noon ET (9 a.m. PT).
The longtime MMA Junkie Radio hosts will take your questions about the latest in the world of MMA.
There’s plenty to talk about in combat sports with[autotag] Carlos Prates[/autotag]’ big KO in the main event of UFC Fight Night 247, Saturday’s big UFC 309 pay-per-view with [autotag]Jon Jones [/autotag]vs. [autotag]Stipe Miocic[/autotag] at Madision Square Garden and much more.
Watch MMA Junkie Radio’s live Q&A in the video above, and submit your questions in the YouTube live chat.
Mansur Abdul-Malik picked up a brutal finish in his official UFC debut, along with a $50,000 bonus.
LAS VEGAS – [autotag]Mansur Abdul-Malik[/autotag] beat Dusko Todorovic with a first-round TKO Saturday to open up the main card at UFC Fight Night 247 at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.
Take a look inside the fight with Abdul-Malik, who picked up a brutal finish in his official UFC debut, along with a $50,000 bonus.
Mansur Abdul-Malik def. Dusko Todorovic
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – NOVEMBER 09: (L-R) Mansur Abdul-Malik punches Dusko Todorovic of Montenegro in a middleweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at UFC APEX on November 09, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)
Mansur Abdul-Malik def. Dusko Todorovic, UFC Fight Night 247 (via UFC)
“It did 100 percent (go as I expected) – especially when it comes to damage, when it comes to hurting him, when it comes to putting him out and getting him out of there in a quick way. But that’s a that’s a game opponent right there. All due respect to Dusko. That’s a Russian warrior right there. That’s a good man, and we went out there, we did battle, and it is what it is. I’m happy.”
“It feels familiar. This is my second time being in this seat, and I’m happy to be here. Not only does it feel familiar, but it feels good. I’m elated. I’m grateful right now and I’m so happy. Honestly, I don’t even think it will feel any different (if I fight in a big venue). It might feel less than the big moment. The big experience was walking through those doors the first time on the Contender Series, and even that wasn’t too significant in my mind. I feel like those moments are over, not in a sad way or in a bad way, but this is business. I’m a grown man. I’m an adult. I’m a man inside the UFC contracted to fight these other men. So all the happy, super, oh-my-God amazing experiences – those are not really there for me. I’m here for business. I love this business. It makes me happy. I’m so grateful to be here, but I don’t make it more than it is.”
Abdul-Malik on what he wants next
Mansur Abdul-Malik
“I’ll fight here. I’ll fight outside in the parking lot right now in the back. I don’t really see the venue of something super amazing and different. Of course I want to travel. Of course I want to be on the road with this business. I want to go to different places and experience that lifestyle and that environment. But at the end of the day, I’m in here to get inside of a cage and to fight other men. I can’t even think about if the sun is down right now, if the sun is up. I’m in here to fight, so wherever I am doesn’t matter. I want to go other places but, I’m here and I’m happy.”
To hear more from Abdul-Malik, check out the video of the full post-fight interview above.
