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.
We’re well into 2026 now, so we hope all of you are over your holiday hangovers and ready to jump headfirst into the wild, wacky world of combat sports again. The timing couldn’t be better with the UFC’s January kickoff event just around the corner, so as we prepare for the gears of the big machine to start churning again, let’s take a moment to enjoy the simpler things.
Alright, first up, we’ve got OH NO.
(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.)
Isame Ennani vs. Erwan Teiga
Samba Sima vs. Nikolaj Makarenko
Paul Dena vs. Paulo Santos
What a way to start your year.
At a Hexagone MMA event in Paris, amateur featherweight Erwan Teiga found himself defending a takedown against the fence, a situation we’ve seen in countless MMA fights, and then getting dropped on his butt by Isame Ennani. Problem is, Teiga’s leg was caught under him as he went to the mat and his ankle was immediately destroyed.
That looked like a 180-degree turn. I know this only because I watched the clip about a dozen times against my better judgment. Just to make sure.
Erwan, get well soon and let’s hope we see you fight again in 2026.
Samba Sima, we want to see more of you, too.
Dipping and diving, spinning and winning, pure flow. Bravo, sir.
And while we’re at it, props to you as well, Paul Dena.
It might not be as flashy as Sima’s super combo finish, but a counter 1-2 like that always deserves recognition.
Daniel Trejo vs. Hunter Walking Eagle
OK, first of all, we’re dealing with some great names here.
Daniel Trejo (no, not THE Danny Trejo, though “Machete” would be an outstanding nickname) took on Hunter Walking Eagle a.k.a. “Sioux Warrior” at a Fusion Fight League event in Billings, Mont. and it’s Trejo a.k.a. “Super Duper Sabretooth” (!!!) who came out on top in a 40-second slugfest.
You can see Trejo eat a pair of hard shots in that clip and just keep swinging, with one of those left hands catching Walking Eagle right on the chin. And one was all it took.
Akram Ouchibi vs. Alexis Contreras
Carlos Mota vs. Naoki Arikawa
Let’s veer slightly off the path here for a couple of finishes outside of the realm of MMA, starting with Akram Ouchibi’s unbelievable scissor kick knockout in a Muay Thai match at a Rajadamnern World Series event in Thailand.
Jean-Claude Van Damme would be jealous of that technique.
Over in Tokyo in a modified rules match, Carlos Mota (yes, one-time UFC fighter Carlos Mota) attempted to flatten opponent Naoki Arikawa’s skull in the midst of a frantic finish.
I think we should all be grateful that flying stomp didn’t land.
Will Fleury vs. Martin Buday
Let’s dip all the way back to the final days of 2025 to check in with Oktagon MMA, where we closed out the epic saga of Martin Buday’s journey from UFC heavyweight contender to Oktagon title challenger.
If you recall, Buday opened the year with a pair of decision wins, but ended up being unjustly released after an ugly fight with the newly signed Marcus Buchecha (who the matchmakers presumably had high hopes for). He then made the move to Oktagon, where he received an immediate title shot.
Unfortunately for “Badys,” this story doesn’t end in triumph.
Two-division champion Will Fleury was defending his heavyweight belt for the first time and he made a serious statement by knocking Buday out in under two minutes. And so ends the #JusticeForBuday campaign (that I may have started), and so continues the impressive run of flurry, who is now 9-0 (1 NC) dating back to 2020.
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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