Welcome to the latest edition of Missed Fists, where we shine a spotlight on fights from across the globe that may have been overlooked in these hectic times where it seems like there is an MMA show every other day.
The combat sports world is a relentless machine, churning out regional shows, international cards, and major promotions on an almost daily basis. Amidst this saturation, extraordinary moments of sheer chaos, baffling refereeing, and jaw-dropping finishes frequently slip through the cracks of the mainstream media cycle. This week, however, the regional scene delivered a series of bouts that demand a closer look, ranging from deeply confusing procedural blunders to highlight-reel concussions that left commentators and fans alike scrambling for replays.
We had some strange Adventures in Officiating this week at LFA 243, with one referee overseeing a comeback that truly had everything. Before diving into the deep end of global mixed martial arts, major credit is due to the online community members who tirelessly archive these moments. Big thanks as always to @Barrelelapierna for their weekly lists of the best knockouts, and to @Grabaka_Hitman for uploading many of the clips that define this week’s madness. Be sure to give them a follow and chip in on Patreon if you are in a position to support their archiving efforts.
This week’s curated chaos features a cross-section of global talent, including standout bouts from Lorenzo Figueroa versus Helton Jose, Kevin Fernandez versus Enrique Pacheco, Joe Thurrott versus Ricky Miller, and Mason Hartshorn versus Kelvin Martinez. But among these, one particular fight stands completely alone in its absurdity.
The Most Chaotic Comeback of the Year at LFA 243
Let’s just all watch this one together before commenting further.
The sequence began with Helton Jose rocking Lorenzo Figueroa with a clean strike, immediately capitalizing on the opening by latching on to a tight guillotine choke as Figueroa worked desperately to recover his bearings. At first glance, it did not look like Figueroa was in any immediate, grave danger, even as Jose transitioned the hold into a lifting guillotine pressed firmly against the cage wall. As fighters often do when navigating a tight squeeze, Figueroa flailed his limbs to find leverage. At one point, it definitely looked like he tapped Jose’s shoulder with an open hand, but really only tapped in the most literal, incidental sense. It did not look like he was signaling a submission to anyone watching closely, in this writer’s opinion.
Nevertheless, referee David Shurley stepped in abruptly to wave off the contest, halting the action and prompting Figueroa to immediately leap to his feet in frantic protest. A lengthy, chaotic discussion ensued inside the cage, with cageside officials and athletic commission staff heavily involved in dissecting the sequence. After what felt like an eternity of confusion, it was eventually decided that the stoppage had been premature and incorrect, and the bout would miraculously continue. Neat!
What followed next belonged in a movie script rather than a professional athletic commission-regulated cage. Hilariously, upon the restart, Jose cracked Figueroa again. This time, instead of fishing for another submission neck-wrestle, Jose wisely followed up with a barrage of heavy punches to chase the finish. And again, defying all logic and medical probability, Figueroa somehow recovered from the onslaught.
Smelling blood in the water and realizing he had been handed a second lease on life, Figueroa went completely for broke. He marched forward, walking Jose down with reckless abandon and blasting him with a thunderous left hand that sent Jose’s mouthpiece flying into the canvas. Figueroa poured on the pressure with unrelenting volume until Jose slumped to his hands and knees, completely defenseless and absorbing unanswered punches, forcing the referee to step in and wave off the fight. For real, this time.
Mixed martial arts is supposed to be fun, and I’ll be damned if this wasn’t one of the most enjoyable, baffling comebacks ever witnessed in the regional circuit. Was everything officiated strictly by the book? Absolutely not. And you know what? At the end of the day, looking at the sheer entertainment value, it is hard to particularly care about the technicalities.
Refereeing Blunders and Regional Knockouts
While the Figueroa-Jose madness ultimately worked out for the viewing public, care and scrutiny are warranted regarding other strange officiating moments on the same card. The Kevin Fernandez versus Enrique Pacheco fight featured an equally odd call that saw Pacheco absorb a significant amount of unnecessary, extra punishment that could and should have been avoided entirely.
To give credit where it is due, Pacheco somehow managed to recover from a devastating head kick that would have put most mortals to sleep, actively fighting back before he was eventually put down for good by a subsequent knee. However, referee Kane Vandal—who boasts a wonderfully cinematic name—clearly stepped in to stop the fight initially. Vandal made physical contact with both fighters before seemingly changing his mind mid-motion, deciding, "Oh, I guess they’re not done yet. As you were, gentlemen." While this chaotic reversal technically spared fans an early stoppage, a referee simply cannot jump in and make physical contact to halt a bout only to reverse course on the fly.
Fortunately, the rest of the card provided cleaner, if no less violent, highlights. Fans were treated to two phenomenal knockout performances by Joe "Cutthroat" Thurrott—which serves as a masterclass in how to properly execute a professional fighting nickname—and Mason Hartshorn, both showcasing the brutal efficiency that makes the Legacy Fighting Alliance a premier developmental pipeline. For those looking to catch the action live or via replay, LFA events are readily available to watch on VICE TV.
Global Chaos: Teuto Fight 8 and Beyond
Moving away from North America, the international regional scene offered its own brand of unadulterated madness. Were it not for the sheer cinematic absurdity of Figueroa and Jose, a clip from Teuto Fight 8 would have easily taken the cake for the most ridiculous scrap of the entire week.
To put it mildly, the combatants were simply doing stuff. In fights of this nature, it is often difficult to gauge how seriously the athletes are taking the tactical chess match, but it is safe to assume both fellows were sincerely giving the old college try in the heat of the moment. And somehow, miraculously, at the end of all that disorganized chaos, Vinicius Rieger managed to restore order with an utterly on-point knockout shot. Whether it was meticulously planned execution or a deeply fortunate happy accident remains open for debate, but in the world of regional MMA, we take those finishes however they come.
Speaking of remarkably precise knockouts, amateur lightweight Joe Graydon completely erased his opponent in an instant at a recent 51Fifty Fight Night event in Livingston, California. To describe the finish is to witness physics bending: one second, Joaquin Jackman was actively engaged in the contest, and the next, poof, he was completely gone from consciousness.
Europe and Asia Deliver Concussive Highlights
Over at KSW, Europe’s premier mixed martial arts organization, Adam Soldaev provided another terrifying reminder of the sport’s inherent dangers. How does one accurately describe what transpired? Adam Soldaev quite literally rewired his opponent’s nervous system.
Soldaev has occasionally struggled with consistency throughout his tenure under the KSW banner, but goodness gracious, when he connects clean, it is a wrap and a half for whoever happens to be standing across from him. Poor Mateusz Makarowski was left completely frozen on the canvas, stiffened into a bizarre posture that you probably could not intentionally replicate even if you spent hours trying. Polish promotion KSW should realistically be legally obligated to play this specific clip as a mandatory safety warning to the next poor soul who sees Soldaev’s name printed on an upcoming fight contract.
Meanwhile, in Asia, fighters continue to offer lessons in defensive responsibility. At a DEEP event held in Shizuoka, Japan, Kinji Oruben decided to let his hands drop for a fraction of a second right in the middle of a heated striking exchange with Takuya Kuramoto. Predictably, Kuramoto immediately capitalized on the lapse in defense, landing a devastating right hand that rendered Oruben’s legs completely useless beneath him. The message to the broader fighting community is simple: keep your hands up, gang. You are not King Green; stop trying to emulate his unique defensive style if you lack the specific reflexes to pull it off safely.
Finally, the Lion Championship 36 in Vung Tau, Vietnam, delivered a masterclass in sudden momentum shifts. Huy Hoang Do found himself on the receiving end of a stunning reversal when Truong battled back valiantly from the brink of a near-finish. As both men were rising unsteadily from the canvas following a frantic scramble, Truong caught Do squarely on the button with a perfectly timed knee. Watching the sequence back, Truong displayed beautiful body control as he fluidly transitioned from a messy ground scramble, instantly resetting his feet to launch the finishing blow straight out of nowhere.
As the regional schedule continues to roll forward at a breakneck pace, the global MMA landscape guarantees that more hidden gems, bizarre officiating anomalies, and shocking knockouts are just around the corner. If you know of a recent fight or event that you believe deserves a wider spotlight, or a regional promotion that could use some well-deserved attention, please reach out on X via @AlexanderKLee using the dedicated hashtag #MissedFists.
