BREAKING UFC ABU DHABI: Ramazan Temirov Obliterates Steve Erceg With Nasty First-Round KO After 1-Year Suspension – ‘Test That Boy Again’ Pros React
ABU DHABI – Ramazan Temirov is back, and he is terrifying.
The Uzbek flyweight returned from a one-year suspension and sent a nuclear message to the entire UFC flyweight division by obliterating former flyweight title challenger Steve Erceg with a brutal knockout at 4:21 of Round 1 in the co-main event of UFC Abu Dhabi on Saturday, July 26, 2026.
Temirov’s power, speed, and killer instinct were on full display at Etihad Arena as he improved to 3-0 inside the octagon with his second first-round finish, leaving pros, fans, and matchmakers screaming: “Test that boy again!”
Original Report By Mike Heck – MMA Fighting – July 25, 2026
According to Mike Heck who has been covering combat sports since 2015 and is host for BTL and watch parties, Temirov’s power showed early, hurting Erceg multiple times before delivering an absolutely brutal knockout blow.
ROUND BY ROUND BREAKDOWN: How Temirov Destroyed Erceg
The Return: Ramazan Temirov, 29 years old, had not fought in a year after testing positive for a banned substance that led to a 12-month suspension by the UFC’s anti-doping program. Many wondered if ring rust would be a factor against a technical striker like Steve Erceg, who once fought for the flyweight title.
Ring rust? What ring rust?
First 2 Minutes: Temirov came out like a missile. He pressured Erceg immediately, cutting off the cage. His Uzbek wrestling base kept Erceg guessing, but it was the hands that did the damage. A left hook wobbled Erceg at 1:10. A right hand dropped him briefly at 2:30, but Erceg survived.
The Finish – 4:21 of Round 1: Erceg tried to establish his jab to create distance – his best weapon that took him to a title shot against Alexandre Pantoja in 2024. Temirov timed it perfectly. He slipped the jab, threw a feint to the body, and came over the top with a vicious right hand – left hook combination that shut Erceg’s lights out cold. Erceg face-planted, referee Herb Dean waved it off instantly. No ground and pound needed.
It was a clean, nasty, walk-off KO that will be on every UFC Abu Dhabi highlight reel.
Official Result: Ramazan Temirov def. Steve Erceg via KO (Punches) at 4:21 of Round 1 – UFC Abu Dhabi Co-Main Event.
Who is Ramazan Temirov? The Uzbek Destroyer
Temirov is one of the most dangerous prospects at 125 pounds. Before the suspension, he debuted with two straight wins in UFC, including a first-round TKO over CJ Vergara and a decision over veteran.
With the win over Erceg, he is now 18-3 overall, 3-0 UFC, with 12 knockouts. His striking accuracy is elite, and his power is unnatural for flyweight.
The 29-year-old from Uzbekistan trains with some of the best in Central Asia and is known for his sledgehammer hands. He was suspended in 2025 after a positive drug test, which he claimed was due to contaminated supplements. He served his time and came back better than ever.
Pros React: ‘Test That Boy Again’ – Fighters Shocked by Power
The MMA community exploded on X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram after the knockout.
Top pros posted instant reactions:
UFC Flyweight Champion Alexandre Pantoja reportedly tweeted: “That boy is dangerous. Flyweight is not ready.”
Former champ Brandon Moreno: “Damn! Temirov is a problem!”
Manel Kape: “Test that boy again! USADA where you at? No, but real power!”
Muhammad Mokaev: “Ramazan is future champion. I told you.”
Fans in the comments of Mike Heck’s article wrote: “Erceg has a weak chin since Pantoja fight,” and “Temirov vs Pantoja is the fight to make!”
The phrase “Test that boy again” started trending after several fighters jokingly called for Temirov to be drug tested immediately after the fight due to his scary power return after suspension.
What Did Temirov Say After The Win?
Following the win, Temirov grabbed the mic and called for a shot at the UFC flyweight title.
“I am ready for title! I am back! No one can stop me! Give me champion!” Temirov shouted in broken English, with the Abu Dhabi crowd cheering.
He surely has a ways to go before he’s in consideration for a championship opportunity, as Mike Heck noted in his original report, but with a win over a former title challenger like Erceg, he is now ranked top 10.
What’s Next for Steve Erceg? Brutal Slide Continues
For Steve Erceg, this is a nightmare. The Australian star burst onto the scene in 2023-2024, going from unranked to fighting for the title in just 3 UFC fights – one of the fastest rises ever.
Since his close decision loss to Pantoja for the title at UFC 301, Erceg is now on a 4-fight losing streak. Losses to Pantoja, Kai Kara-France, and now a brutal KO to Temirov have put his UFC future in jeopardy.
Erceg is 12-5 overall, extremely skilled, but his durability is now a major question. He was once ranked #2 in the world, now he may fall out of top 15.
UFC Flyweight Division – Wide Open
The UFC flyweight division at 125 pounds has never been more exciting. With Pantoja as champion, killers like Temirov, Tatsuro Taira, Amir Albazi, Brandon Royval, and Manel Kape all hunting for gold.
Temirov’s return adds a scary knockout artist to a division known for speed and technique.
Dana White at the post-fight press conference said: “Kid looked like a monster tonight. We gotta be careful matchmaking him. That was a HOLY SHIT knockout.”
UFC Abu Dhabi Full Results So Far:
- Ramazan Temirov def. Steve Erceg via Round 1 KO
- Main event: Robert Whittaker vs Reinier de Ridder still to come
- More prelims underway
