Marcio Barbosa swings a mighty sledgehammer, even at 5-foot-6, 145 pounds.
The Dana White’s Contender Series graduate shined in his Ultimate Fighting Championship debut, as he zapped Dennis Buzukja for a sensational one-punch knockout in the first round of their featured UFC Fight Night 273 prelim on Saturday at the Canada Life Center in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Barbosa (18-2, 1-0 UFC) drew the curtain 1:20 into Round 1.
Buzukja (12-6, 1-4 UFC) tested the water with a one-two and a front kick to the body, then allowed himself to be lured into a close-quarters exchange. Barboza found the off switch with a clean left hook. Buzukja collapsed to the canvas, his eyes open, the thousand-yard stare in full effect. No follow-up shots were required.
Meanwhile, “The Ultimate Fighter” Season 32 finalist Robert Valentin turned away Julien Leblanc with a rear-naked choke in the first round of their middleweight scrap. Leblanc (10-3, 0-1 UFC), who climbed into the cage on a run of five consecutive victories, bowed out 2:22 into Round 1.
Valentin (11-6, 1-3 UFC) hammered the Canadian’s inner lead leg with kicks, followed them into a takedown and transitioned immediately to full mount. He then scrambled to the back, secured position with a body triangle and weaved his arms around Leblanc’s neck. What started as a face crank soon turned into an inescapable rear-naked choke that produced the tapout.
The win was Valentin’s first since Dec. 9, 2023.
Further down the undercard, MMA Vlaardingen product Gokhan Saricam dispatched Tanner Boser with punches in the second round of their heavyweight confrontation. Boser (22-11-1, 5-6 UFC) packed his bags 4:43 into Round 2, losing for the first time in more than three years.
The 35-year-old Saricam (12-2, 1-0 UFC) had the Shaved Bears Fight Team export in trouble late in the first round, then seemed to meander due to fatigue early in the second. Boser pushed a frenetic pace, punched in combination and zeroed in on his opponent’s lower extremities with kicks. Those efforts proved ineffective. Saricam rallied, sat down the Canadian with a one-two on the counter and swarmed with follow-up punches, resulting in the finish.
Saricam has rattled off four straight victories.
Finally, former Fury Fighting Championship titleholder John Yannis disposed of Jamie Siraj with a violent volley of elbows in the first round of their bantamweight affair. Siraj (14-4, 0-1 UFC), who entered his promotional debut on the strength of back-to-back victories, succumbed to blows 2:43 into Round 1.
Yannis (10-4, 1-1 UFC) trapped the Canadian grappler on the feet and unleashed his hands. He decked Siraj with a right hook, reset, staggered him a second time with the same punch and forced the ex-Battlefield Fight League champion into a defensive shell. Yannis ultimately denied an attempted takedown, powered into top position and connected with a series of elbows that prompted the stoppage.
The 31-year-old Yannis has won four of his past five bouts.
In other action, Melissa Croden (8-3, 2-1 UFC) took a unanimous decision—29-28, 29-28, 29-28—from Darya Zheleznyakova (10-3, 2-2 UFC) in their three-round women’s bantamweight pairing; J.J. Aldrich (15-7, 11-6 UFC) laid claim to a unanimous decision over Jamey-Lyn Horth (9-3, 4-3 UFC) in their three-round women’s flyweight tilt, as she swept the scorecards with 29-28 marks from all three judges; and John Castaneda (21-8-1, 4-4-1 UFC) lost a point due to low blows and settled for a majority draw—29-27, 28-28, 28-28—with Mark Vologdin (12-4-2, 0-0-1 UFC) in their three-round catchweight clash at 139 pounds.
