LAS VEGAS — In a span of less than two years, Erik Koch went from training for a featherweight title fight against Jose Aldo to Fight Pass relegation.
But based on his performance on Saturday night at UFC 170, he’s not likely to stick to the online prelims for long.
The Roufusport fighter, competing at lightweight for the first time since 2008, made short work of Rafaello Oliveira. Koch won via TKO at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in just 1:24.
“What you saw tonight was the real Erik Koch,” he said.
Koch gave an indication what was to come when he dropped a charging Oliveira with a right hand. Oliveira got right back up, but soon thereafter was dropped by a straight left. A ground-and-pound assault caused referee Yves Levigne to wave off the fight.
“I’m not a boy, I’m a man, that was too much weight to cut,” said Koch (16-6), who had his ninth career finish. “This is what the ‘New Breed’ is all about.”
Oliveira (15-7) lost for the fourth time in his past five fights.