Welcome to the latest edition of Missed Fists where we shine a light on fights from across the globe that may have been overlooked in these hectic times where it seems like there’s an MMA show every other day.
Rashad Evans, if you’re out there, you should know another fighter has stepped up to the plate to challenge you for the crown of King of the Stanky Leg.
(Big thanks as always to @Barrelelapierna for their weekly lists of the best KOs and submissions, and to @Grabaka_Hitman for uploading many of the clips you see here. Give them a follow and chip in on Patreon if you can.)
Hiram Caballero vs. Jayson Miralpez
Thursday’s (deep breath) APEC 2025 Korea Commemorative World MMA Competition in Seoul was eye-catching for a number of reasons, from its gorgeous all-yellow ring to its eclectic lineup that included a number of former UFC fighters, but the most memorable image may have come from an unsung flyweight bout between Hiram Caballero and Jayson Miralpez.
Check out this scary knockout, right on time for Halloween, no less:
Caballero landed a left hand right on the money and even though it looked like Miralpez wasn’t happy with the stoppage, I’m glad the referee stopped it, if only on principal. He saw that leg nearly tear in four different places and said, “Hey guy, that’s enough MMA for you tonight.”
That’s as bad a leg twist following a KO strike I’ve ever seen. Rashad, Cro Cop, heck, let’s throw in what happened to Ludovit Klein’s ankle at UFC 321. I’d put Miralpez’s fall up against any of those.
A free replay of the APEC event is available on YouTube and having watched the full fight and its aftermath, I’m happy to report Miralpez left the ring seemingly without any injury, though he did initially need some help walking back to his corner. OK, so maybe it wasn’t as bad as the Cro Cop.
Arthur Ventura vs. Alejandro Ribeiro
Let’s keep the spooky highlights (alright, I can’t keep up this Halloween gimmick) going with Arthur Ventura’s brutal finish of Alejandro Ribeiro at Jungle Fight 141 in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
Ventura rocked him with a 1-2, put him out with a flying knee, and then landed two more unprotected punches for bad measure. Can’t even blame Ventura that match, I say it’s the cage’s fault for holding Ribeiro up there and letting his opponent tee off.
Ronald Padilla vs. Alvaro Vacacela
Hey, remember when Yair Rodriguez pulled off that insane buzzer-beating back elbow knockout of The Korean Zombie out of nowhere? I bet Ronald Padilla remembers.
How else to explain this picture-perfect recreation? No, the stakes aren’t as high, the angle isn’t quite as extreme, and the timing isn’t as unbelievable, but the impact is truly devastating and seeing Alvaro Vacacela immediately crumble to his knees is another image from this week I won’t soon forget.
FFC 97 is available on UFC Fight Pass.
Renato Canuto vs. Caleb Contreras
And while you’re logged in, check out the second fight of Brazilian jiu-jitsu ace Renato Canuto’s MMA career.
Canuto won his pro debut this past May and has apparently fallen in love with soccer kicks as he utilized the classic JMMA technique to make it two knockouts in two wins.
Just as importantly, look at how quickly he transitions from grappling to ground-and-pound once he has the advantage. Hey, Jailton Almeida, you taking notes, bud?
Ayden Bell vs. Joshua Rivera
Speaking of heavyweights, we had amateur action at a Fury FC event in Houston, where Ayden Bell and Joshua Rivera threw down.
On this day, it was Bell who came out with an impressive knockout, throwing a powerful left hook off of a break that sent his man crashing to the canvas.
Mitch Gilmore vs. Dylan Woosley
Also in amateur action, Mitch Gilmore pulled off a wicked comeback, surviving a knockdown and some heavy ground-and-pound, only to land a huge head kick and take the fight.
Synergy FC 23 and other regional events are available to watch with a subscription to Spectation Sports.
Samuel Ivan vs. Robert Stan
Our last highlight of the week isn’t MMA, but how could we not mention Samuel Ivan’s absurd jumping spinning heel kick KO?
From Dynamite Fighting Show 28 in Pitesti, Romania:
How does one even think to do something like that?
Robert Stan looked confident walking Ivan down, likely thinking, “Surely, this man will not attempt to spin kick me at this distance.” And then, he was spin kicked.
That’s all for this week. Remember, everyone, sometimes when it’s time to celebrate, a simple fist pump or a bow will do.
If you know of a recent fight or event that you think may have been overlooked, or a promotion that could use some attention, please let us know on X — @AlexanderKLee — using the hashtag #MissedFists.
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