The UFC 317 -Prelims ended with an annoying knockout.
Two titles are at stake during the International Fight Week of this year. Former champions Ilia Topuria and Charles Oliveira Headline UFC 317 in a fight for the empty lightweight title.
Champion Alexandre Pantoja will defend his title for the fourth time when he meets Kai Kara-France in the Co-Main event.
The UFC 317 Undercard did not disappoint, with both knockouts and submissions.
The most deafening knockout of the night took place just before the pay-per-view section.
Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC
Daniel Cormier says that referee Jack Hermansson should have saved the last blow
Middleweight veterans Jack Hermansson and Gregory Rodrigues had a competitive fight in the Prelim headliner.
The fight did not get from the first round when a bloody Rodrigues Hermanson caught with a brutal left hook that sat him.
Hermanson immediately became unconscious and Rodrigues landed an extra hammer fist two seconds later on his grounded opponent before the referee Herb Dean stopped the match.
“That last hammer fist was certainly unnecessary,” said UFC commentator Joe Rogan about Rodrigues' Ko.
“Why didn't the referee jump there and stopped that? He is there,” said Daniel Cormier on the UFC 317 broadcast.
“He should not have allowed him to take that last blow.”
“He was ready. He lies down,” Cormier said about Hermansson.
“It's not like he hit him right away. He literally walked towards him and throws. He thought the fight would be stopped.
“He tried to stop from behind,” Cormier said about the referee Herb Dean, who was out of reach.
Hermanson was unconscious for a few minutes and the UFC broadcast confirmed that he was 'stable' 30 minutes later.
Jack Hermansson had not fought for 16 months
A former top-15 member, we have not seen Jack Hermansson since February 2024.
The last fight by Hermansson was a clear decision of five rounds about powerful prospect Joe Pyfer on UFC Vegas 84 16 months ago.
Hermanson took free time after injuries and operations, fighting a decent first round against Rodrigues before he was finally eliminated.
A victory over Rodrigues would probably have landed Hermanson back in the middleweight ranking, where he was so long.
However, that honor will probably go to Rodrigues after a wild knockout of the eternal competition.