Kevin Vallejos will now be able to call himself a ranked featherweight contender after becoming the first man to knock out Giga Chikadze in the co-main event of UFC Vegas 112.
The first round started fairly quiet, minus a combination from Vallejos that took advantage of a Chikadze slip. The two traded leg kicks, with a nasty gash opening on Chikadze's left leg thanks to a checked kick.
Chikadze brought out some strong kicks in the second half of round one when he wasn't held against the fence.
But it was Vallejos that took the fight in round two. With both men near the fence, Vallejos landed a spinning backfist that dropped Chikadze in brutal fashion. He followed that up with some elbow-based ground-and-pound to bring a quick halt to the contest.
Kevin Vallejos Drops Giga Chikadze At UFC Vegas 112
Vallejos has now won six straight since his sole loss -- a defeat to Jean Silva on Dana White's Contender Series. He is 3-0 in the Octagon since winning a UFC contract in his 2024 DWCS appearance.
Chikadze has now lost three straight and four of his last five. His sole win in that span was defeating Alex Caceres at UFC Singapore in August 2023.