The tale of UFC Fight Night 252 in Seattle is still being written, but when all is said and done, Ricky Simon might be what it’s most remembered for.
In a bantamweight prelim Saturday at Climate Pledge Arena, Simon (20-6 MMA, 8-5 UFC) slept Javid Basharat (14-1 MMA, 3-1 UFC) with a big knockout reminiscent of the handiwork of the great Dan Henderson: a big right hand followed by follow-up shots. The stoppage came at 3:58 of Round 1.
A big overhand right was enough to put the lights out. A few more punches sealed the deal officially after referee Mike Beltran scrambled to stop the fight.
Simon, 32, snaps a three-fight skid and exits victorious from what could very well have been a must-win. Basharat falls into a two-fight skid as he was knocked out for the first time in his career.
Up-to-the-minute UFC Fight Night 252 results include:
- Ricky Simon def. Javid Basharat via knockout (punches) – Round 1, 3:58
- Austin Vanderford def. Nikolay Veretennikov via TKO (punches) – Round 2, 4:13
- Nursulton Ruziboev def. Eric McConico via TKO (punches) – Round 2, 0:33
- Modestas Bukauskas def. Rafael Cerqueira via knockout (punches) – Round 1, 2:12
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 252.
