Modestas Bukauskas kicked off UFC Fight Night 252 with a bang Saturday when he made quick work of Rafael Cerqueira in the prelim card opener in Seattle.
At Climate Pledge Arena, Bukauskas (17-6 MMA, 5-4 UFC) swarmed and finished Raffael Cerquiera (11-2 MMA, 0-2 UFC) for a stoppage at 2:12 of Round 1.
Not only did Bukauskas nail the performance – he perfectly landed the celebratory backflip.
Starting the night off with a BANG
@BalticGladiator gets the first round KO at #UFCSeattle! pic.twitter.com/6YHHY5VwqV
— UFC (@ufc) February 22, 2025
With the win, Bukauskas moves to 4-1 since his return to the UFC after being cut in 2021. His lone loss came to Vitor Petrino and he is now on a two-fight winning streak.
Cerquiera comes up short for the second time in as many UFC appearances after an 11-0 start to his career.
Up-to-the-minute UFC Fight Night 252 results include:
- Modestas Bukauskas def. Raffael Cerqueira via TKO (punches) – Round 1, 2:12
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 252.
