Cesar Almeida kicked off the 2025 Knockout of the Year race in style.
While Almeida’s UFC Vegas 101 main card matchup with Abdul Razak Alhassan was expected to produce fireworks, no one could have predicted exactly how it would end. Alhassan had Almeida badly hurt and advanced with a flurry as Almeida was backed up against the cage, but “Cesinha” fired back with a left hand on the money that instantly rendered Alhassan stiff on the canvas.
It was the first UFC knockout win for Almeida, who joined the promotion with the reputation of a dangerous kickboxer.
Cesar Almeida WHAT A KO #UFCVegas101 pic.twitter.com/rh3NZYi31i
— Spinnin Backfist (@SpinninBackfist) January 12, 2025
Unsurprisingly, his fellow fighters were blown away by the comeback KO, including Diana Belbita, who wrote on Twitter, “That’s what I call playing Russian Roulette in MMA.”
UFC welterweight Randy Brown noted that Cesar Almeida snatched victory “from the brink of defeat.”
Former two-division UFC champion Henry Cejudo also gave Almeida his flowers, writing, “Cesinha Almeida puts forth an early KO of the year candidate.”
See more fighter reactions from social media below.
That’s what I call playing Russian Roulette in MMA
#UFCVegas101— Diana Belbiță (@DianaBelbita)
From the brink of defeat!— Randy Brown (@TouchNgo_)
Cesinha Almeida puts forth an early KO of the year candidate! #UFCVegas101— Henry Cejudo (@HenryCejudo)
This by far is knockout of the night!!!
#UFCVegas101— Ode’ ⭕️sbourne (@OdeOsbourne)
WOW!! ALMEIDA! #UFCVegas101— Aljamain Sterling (@funkmasterMMA)
That knockout by almeida was fucking nasty— David Rickels (@TheCaveman316)
Damn!!!!! What a finish for Almeida #UFCVegas101 pic.twitter.com/Zhkmo87XaZ— Jillian DeCoursey (@lionheartjill) January 12, 2025
Looks like 50k for Almeida… SCARY #UFCVegas101— Chase Hooper (@chase_hooper)
Wowwwwwww #ufc— Terrance McKinney (@twrecks155)
Damn just like that some Cody no love punch off the cage type shit rt there game of inches and bruh that’s some insane punching power dude still hurt— Terrance McKinney (@twrecks155)
Oh my goodness!!! #UFCVegas101— Alan Jouban (@AlanJouban)
That’s is my boy cesar Almeida , proud of you
Devastated knock out #UFCVegas101— Johnny Walker (@JohnnyWalker)