Roosevelt Roberts was just seconds away from dropping what was likely to be a decision loss to Ignacio Bahamomdes, who had weathered a strong start and bloodied face from his opponent to dominate all three rounds with stiff kicks and overwhelming pressure. But Roberts’ night went from bad to much worse when Bahamomdes refused to settle for the decision victory and unleashed a hellacious spinning wheel kick for the knockout during the prelims at UFC Vegas 34 from the UFC APEX in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Did @jaulabahamondes just become the frontrunner for KO of the Year? 💥 #UFCVegas34 pic.twitter.com/B0OY4v7VIG
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) August 22, 2021
Bahamomdes has quickly risen to become a fan-favorite since joining the UFC after his second-round knockout of Edson Gomez as part of Dana White’s Contender Series in November 2020. After a tough split decision loss against John Makdessi in April, Bahamomdes bounced back with a massive win and one that should earn some extra cash in the form of a fight-night bonus.
For Roberts, a fellow Dana White’s Contender Series alum, it’s been a rough go since his last win a submission victory in May 2020. He now has lost two of his last three fights, with his lone loss coming in the form of a no contest when Kevin Croom’s victory was overturned thanks to a positive marijuana test.
