Nazim Sadykhov aimed for a decisive finish, and although it wasn’t exactly as planned, he still walked away victorious at UFC Vegas 102. The fight against Ismael Bonfim was stopped by the ringside doctor after the first round.
Despite a slow start, Sadykhov landed a perfect question mark kick squarely on Bonfim’s face. Bonfim immediately retreated, visibly cut near his eye. Sadykhov pressed forward, attempting to capitalize, but Bonfim managed to survive until the round ended.
The ringside doctor then examined Bonfim, who was clearly having vision problems after the kick. When asked repeatedly if he could see properly and Bonfim admitted his vision was impaired, the referee, Mark Smith, halted the fight.
Consequently, Sadykhov was declared the winner by TKO in the first round due to the doctor’s intervention.
“I’ve been practicing those kicks throughout my entire training camp,” Sadykhov commented after his win. “I was confident head kicks would be effective. For me, the fight was just beginning. I’m curious to see what people will say about this.”
“I’m ready to compete with any lightweight fighter. I’m pleased with my performance, though I feel like I barely exerted myself. I’m prepared to go many rounds with anyone.”
Despite not being fully satisfied with the ending, Sadykhov demonstrated resilience after a shaky start, turning the tide with a well-timed kick that dramatically altered the course of the fight.
Bonfim was visibly disappointed by the fight’s conclusion, but the doctor’s assessment of his eye injury led to the unavoidable stoppage.
This victory improves Sadykhov’s record to 10-1-1 overall and 3-1-1 in the UFC as he seeks to build momentum after a period of inactivity in 2024.
