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.
Need a break from all the Jake vs. Joshua chatter? Right this way, please.
(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.)
Gabriel Mazzeti vs. Luis Fernando Moraes
It was going down in Lima, Peru, with both Inka FC and FFC holding shows in the “Ciudad de los Reyes.” Let’s start with Inka 52, which featured one of the strangest finishes of 2025.
Listen closely and you can hear they were using a clapper at the show for both the 10-second warning and the end of the round. That’s just asking for confusion and may have contributed to what happened there as Gabriel Mazzeti landed a blatantly late head kick on Luis Fernando Moraes despite the referee stepping in to separate them.
A generous read of the situation might say that Mazzeti was already loading up for a kick, but it felt like the referee got in there a full second before it was fired, no? One could also criticize the referee for getting close but not getting properly between the two fighters, leaving the opening for Mazzeti to strike.
Regardless, the official result of the bout is a no-contest, which isn’t likely to make either man happy as Mazzeti missed out on a potential win and Moraes ate a kick in the face for no reason.
A free replay of Inka 52 is available on YouTube.
Zeus Papadopulos vs. Luis Carmago
Before we depart Peru’s capital, let’s check in with the fabulously named Zeus Papadopulos, who won his pro debut at FFC 100 with a flying knee knockout.
Hopefully someone got a good photo of that for him to frame and hang up on the wall.
FFC 100 is available for replay on UFC Fight Pass.
Brian Hooi vs. Umakhan IbragimovTheo Bashford vs. Isai Villamur
While you’re logged in to Fight Pass, check out the brutal Way of Warrior FC 25 main event between veteran Brian Hooi and Umakhan Ibragimov. Hooi stepped into this lightweight title fight on short notice as Ibragimov’s second replacement opponent and went on to pull off an upset, outlasting Ibragimov and breaking him down to the point that Ibragimov eventually just collapsed trying to get to his corner.
It was a back-and-forth battle to start, but Ibragimov hit a wall in the second round and while he showed incredible grit even making it to the third, it was clear he was beyond gassed and the fight probably should have been stopped earlier. Want proof? Ibragimov had to be stretchered out.
Congratulations to Hooi, who struggled to get a run going in KSW, and now has a shiny belt for his collection.
Also on the card, Theo Bashford (another amazing name!) crushed Isai Villamur with a first-round head kick KO.
Johnatan Brito vs. Victor MoraesMurilo Bento vs. Jonathan Caetano
We had some more questionable officiating at a Jungle Fight event in Sao Paulo, where Johnatan Brito leveled Victor Moraes with a precision punch.
The step-back and pose is always a bit risky, but Moraes looked done to me. By letting the fight go on, all the referee did was rob Brito of a walk-off KO and Moraes of a few additional brain cells.
Speaking of the brain, Jonathan Caetano’s was playing tricks on him as he was caught flinching and paid the price.
Great setup from Murilo Bento and a well-deserved finish.
Junior Terere vs. Joao Russo
Alright, picture this: You’re Joao Russo. You’re making your pro debut. Your opponent is Junior Terere, a 35-year-old journeyman with a 3-9 record. You’re the very first fight on the card. This is your moment.
Then this happens to you.
BSB Fight 3 is available with a free replay on YouTube.
Taiyo Nakatsukasa vs. Ren Ozaki
Coaches are always telling fighters to “be first” but what happens when both fighters are first?
That was the question posed by Taiyo Nakatsukasa and Ren Ozaki at a recent Deep Tokyo Impact show as they connected with simultaneous knockdown blows. The answer? Get your butt up off the canvas and attack!
Nakatsukasa recovered first and went feral, throwing himself on to Ozaki and somehow having enough control to transition beautifully into a fight-ending rear-naked choke.
Christian Hernandez vs. Bernardo Cardenas
Starting with a few amateur fights is always a good idea for any combat sports athlete, but it’s important to keep in mind that amateur is often just as dangerous as pro.
Case in point, Christian Hernandez buried Bernardo Cardenas with a quick slam and then drove in a few coffin nails for good measure. All for a hot dog and a soda, most likely.
A free replay of Supreme Fight Night 10 from Guadalajara, Mexico, is available on YouTube.
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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