Welcome to Missed Fists, your weekly dose of incredible fight highlights from around the globe that you might have missed in the busy world of MMA.
We are only three months into 2025, and already we`ve seen a wealth of exciting MMA action, especially outside of the major promotions. In fact, the knockouts from regional and international events are so impressive, they might just rival the best KOs from the UFC so far this year.
Take, for example, Jaron Lathrop`s professional debut at XFC 52. He delivered a sensational spinning back kick knockout that is easily a Knockout of the Year contender, reminiscent of Joaquin Buckley`s famous KO.
And then there`s Thiago Goularte`s incredible spinning elbow at a Thunder Fight event in Sao Paulo.
Prepare to be amazed by the sheer unpredictability of combat sports.
Thiago Goularte initially dominated Leonardo Mesquita, unleashing a barrage of punches that forced Mesquita into a defensive shell. Many referees might have stopped the fight at this point, given how Mesquita was covering up. However, the fight continued, and Mesquita began to rally, landing some powerful strikes of his own.
Suddenly, Goularte seemed to be on the back foot, possibly fatigued from his initial assault. But it was all a ruse. In a moment of pure explosiveness, Goularte unleashed a spinning back elbow seemingly from nowhere.
Goularte even lost his balance as he threw the elbow. It looked like a desperate, low-percentage move, yet it connected with devastating force, instantly flattening Mesquita. A stretcher was needed for the fallen fighter.
Forget Knockout of the Year – this could be a Fight of the Year contender! And incredibly, it wasn`t even the most unexpected finish of the night.
In the main event, undefeated heavyweight prospect Mario Piazzon (8-0) was expected to win the vacant title against veteran Alex Junius (15-39). The matchmakers probably didn`t foresee this outcome:
Piazzon might be remembered for a lackluster performance on the 2023 Contender Series, where he won by disqualification after being illegally kneed. His chances of a UFC call-up were already slim, and after this upset, they`ve likely vanished completely.
On a brighter note, Milena Galvao showcased her striking skills against Isabel Oliveira.
Both fighters displayed powerful kicks, but Galvao landed a head kick that connected with Oliveira`s face. The impact was immediate, and Galvao showed sportsmanship by not following up.
Thunder Fight 47 is available for free replay on YouTube.
Hexagone MMA 25 in Poitiers, France, delivered a mix of impressive and less refined striking.
Levy Carriel landed a powerful right hand on Raphael Mebenga, finishing him with a follow-up punch in just five seconds, according to Tapology.
Precision and timing were not the hallmarks of the bout between Adama Diop and Paul-Emmanuel Gnaze.
Boxing coaches probably won`t be using this fight as a training example, but the result is undeniable.
Pablo Gutierrez ended his fight with Kevin Hernandez quickly, as Hernandez offered no defense against a flying knee that seemed telegraphed from miles away.
Gutierrez launched that knee from San Miguelito, sending it all the way to Panama City, yet Hernandez was still caught off guard.
Ultimate Combat Challenge 75 is available for free replay on YouTube.
Now, this is how to execute a stylish flying attack with finesse.
Sung Hwan Jung exploded into action, landing a swift switch kick that stunned Tomoya Omura. The fight could have been stopped right there, and no one would have complained.
Free fights from Zeus FC are available on their YouTube channel.
Let`s wrap up with a couple of submissions courtesy of UFC Fight Pass, starting with Fight Club Rush 23 in Vasteras, Sweden:
Delmar Silva executed a unique kneebar variation that I`m not familiar with. The human body is an incredible weapon (and surprisingly fragile), and Silva exploited that with a leglock few would anticipate in that position.
Perhaps it`s just my lack of expertise. Jiu-jitsu experts, please enlighten me on the commonality of this technique.
In the Lux Fight League 51 main event in Mexico City, Luis Ivan Rodriguez secured an interim flyweight title with a beautiful rear-naked choke, no fancy maneuvers needed.
Body triangle locked, one arm secured, and the choke perfectly placed under the chin. Rodriguez (25, 9-1) claimed his first title, suggesting even greater achievements are on the horizon for this Mexican prospect.
