Highlights! Bekoev Delivers Scary Debut KO

01/18/2025 09:32 PM

Azamat Bekoev delivered a nasty knockout blow in his official Octagon debut earlier tonight (Sat., Jan. 18, 2025) at UFC 311 live on ESPN+ pay-per-view (PPV) from inside Intuit Dome in Los Angeles, Calif., as the current LFA middleweight champion demolished Zachary Reese with a brutal first-round knockout (punches).

Despite filling in on short notice, Bekoev was a betting favorite to win his UFC debut. Reese is a tough out for most guys ranked outside of the middleweight top 15, but Bekoev had won his last six coming into Saturday night and is quite the finisher. It would have had to been an A+ effort from Reese to pull off the win.

Unfortunately for Reese, it didn't take Bekoev all that long to secure a takedown in the middle of the cage. Reese had a decent armbar for a quick moment, but Bekoev powered his way out. From there, the former LFA champ would unload heavy ground-and-pound that put Reese in serious danger. An eventual combination would get through that forced the referee's hand as Reese went out cold. it took him a good minute to come to.

Check out the video highlights below:

Bekoev, 29, could not have asked for a better debut. The UFC 311 "Prelims" undercard was mostly decisions so providing a knockout for a hungry L.A. crowd was a perfect way to gain recognition. This win should carry Bekoev a long way in 2025 as he aims to crack the middleweight rankings.

For complete UFC 311 results, coverage, and highlights click HERE.