UFC Vegas 25 went down last night (Sat. May 1, 2021) inside UFC Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada featuring a Light Heavyweight bout which saw Jiri Prochazka stop Dominick Reyes via knockout (spinning elbow), handing him his third straight defeat (video replay here). The co-headlining act was just as exciting because Giga Chikadze stopped longtime veteran, Cub Swanson, a little over a minute into the fight (highlights here).
Biggest Winner: Jiri Prochazka
Prochazka picked up a huge win by knocking out Reyes in style, connecting on a perfectly-timed spinning back elbow, melting “The Devastator” in round number two, earning his second win inside the Octagon, twelfth in a ow overall dating back to his dominant days as the RIZIN Light Heavyweight champion. Prochazka has proven to be a great addition to the 205-pound division that no longer has Jon Jones running the show, meaning there is more room now for everyone else to stake their claim in the division. In just two fights, Prochazka has already earned the No. 5 spot on the official rankings, and he could very well get a shot at the title sooner, rather than later, following his latest conquest.
Runner Up: Giga Chikadze
Chikadze made an emphatic statement and put the entire 145-pound division on notice last night after knocking out Swanson in just 63 seconds. It was his second straight first round stoppage victory and his eighth straight win. He is undefeated (6-0) inside the Octagon, which opens up the road for bigger and better fights moving forward. He likely won’t crack the Top 10 after the win, but he could get close and one more win will put him over the top. For now, Chikadze can celebrate his big win and post-fight bonus cash.
Biggest Loser: Dominick Reyes
It seems it wasn’t that long ago that Reyes took the pound-for-pound best fighter on the planet, Jon Jones, to the edge, nearly dethroning him at UFC 247 in Jan. 2020. After coming up short to “Bones,” Reyes has lost two more, both via crushing knockout. First it was against Jan Blachowicz at UFC 253, losing out on his chance to win the title and getting his nose broken in the process. In his next outing against Prochazka, “The Devastator” was once again knocked out, this time by a crushing spinning back elbow. With three straight losses on his resume, it’s going to be tough sledding for Reyes to get back into the championship picture, especially with plenty of contenders in line ready to make their own moves for the title.
For complete UFC Vegas 25 results and coverage click here.