UFC 298 Results: Late-Notice Fighter Destroyed by Leg Kicks

This heavyweight joined the short list of UFC fighters that have scored wins with leg kicks.

Marcos Rogério de Lima didn't let an extremely short-notice change of opponent keep him from scoring a huge win at UFC 298.

UFC 298 Free Live Results & Video Highlights: Alexander Volkanovski vs. Ilia Topuria

All fighters made weight the day before UFC 298, but there was one surprise change when Junior Tafa jumped in to replace his injured brother Justin Tafa, stepping onto the scale right after de Lima in the final minutes of the weigh-in window.

“Pezão” couldn’t have asked for a better replacement opponent given that the Tafa brothers both boast similar fighting styles, and the Brazilian managed to severely compromise his opponent with a calf kick in the first round before he later returned to the technique to score a TKO victory. 

HE'S BACK IN THE WIN COLUMN 🇧🇷@Pezao011 gets the early finish over Junior Tafa at #UFC298 pic.twitter.com/gYT3OeCPsw

— UFC (@ufc) February 18, 2024

The matchup between de Lima and Tafa was the lone heavyweight bout scheduled for UFC 298, and the event’s prelims also featured a couple of other impressive finishes when promotional debutants Zhang Mingyang and Danny Barlow both scored knockout victories. 

UFC 298 Results: Debut Fighter Lands Shocking First-Round KO

“The Juggernaut” is currently still scheduled to take on Karl Williams on a UFC Fight Night card on March 23, but following this loss, it looks like he may need some time off to let his leg recover. 

De Lima's knockout put the Brazilian back into the win column following a 33-second loss to Derrick Lewis, and "Pezão" certainly made the most of the spotlight shining on a huge UFC card that features a featherweight title fight between Alexander Volkanovski and Ilia Topuria in the main event. 

UFC 298 Results: Prelim Fighter Scores 3 Knockdowns With Alleged Broken Arm

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