Dustin Ortiz left a lasting reminder of his talents on the Ultimate Fighting Championship ledger.
The Duke Roufus protégé wiped out former Tachi Palace Fights titleholder Hector Sandoval with punches in the first round of their UFC Fight Night 114 flyweight prelim before a crowd of 10,172 onlookers on Aug. 15, 2017 at Arena Ciudad de Mexico in Mexico City. Ortiz brought it to an emphatic close a mere 15 seconds into Round 1.
Sandoval paid a steep price for his aggression. Ortiz caught the Team Alpha Male export moving forward, clipped him with an overhand right to the temple and sent him crashing to the canvas with two more rapid-fire rights. Sandoval could not defend himself from the attack that ensued. Ortiz proceeded to blast away with punches and hammerfists until referee Jerin Valel arrived to cordon off the scene and prevent further damage.
Eight-plus years later, Ortiz’s rout of “Kid Alex” remains the fastest non-injury knockout in the history of the UFC flyweight division. The best of the rest:
UFC 290
July 8, 2023 | Las Vegas
Aguilar punched out the ex-Eternal MMA champion in the first round of their flyweight prelim at T-Mobile Arena. Ross clocked out just 17 seconds into Round 1. Operating in the shadows of the Alexander Volkanovski–Yair Rodriguez headliner, Aguilar wasted no time in getting down to business. The Dana White’s Contender Series graduate feinted a takedown, then connected with a devastating overhand right. The concussive blow leveled Ross where he stood and resulted in his head bouncing violently off the mat. No follow-up shots were required.
UFC Fight Night 143
Jan. 19, 2019 | Brooklyn, New York
Cejudo tightened his grip on the undisputed flyweight crown when he took care of “The Ultimate Fighter” Season 14 finalist with punches in the first round of their main event at the Barclays Center. The organization’s reigning bantamweight titleholder at the time, Dillashaw succumbed to blows 32 seconds into Round 1. Cejudo fired out of the gates, consolidating hearty leg kicks with rapid-fire punches upstairs. He pushed an off-balance Dillashaw backward, staggered him with a partially blocked head kick and dropped him to all fours with a well-conceived right hand behind the ear. Cejudo followed with an intensity he had rarely shown, even as his dazed adversary reached for a single-leg out of pure desperation. Dillashaw was met with unanswered rights and lefts to the head, leading referee Kevin MacDonald to wave off the action despite the Californian’s objections.
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UFC on ESPN 18
Nov. 28, 2020 | Las Vegas
Mudaerji dismissed the Bellator MMA alum with punches in the first round of their flyweight prelim at the UFC Apex. Gordon packed his bags 44 seconds into Round 1. Mudaerji seemed to have the Canadian measured from the outset. Stinging leg kicks gave way to surgical left hands, and Gordon had no means of recourse. Mudaerji slammed a straight left into his face, then followed with a sneaky left hook around the guard that short-circuited his adversary and resulted in a delayed-reaction knockdown. The Tibetan prospect connected with a final shot on the prone Gordon before referee Dan Miragliotta could intervene.
UFC 284
Feb. 11, 2023 | Perth, Australia
Rodrigues rebounded from a controversial decision loss to C.J. Vergara and took out the Aussie with punches in the first round of their flyweight prelim at RAC Arena. Ross met his end 59 seconds into Round 1. A former Jungle Fight champion, Rodrigues overwhelmed his opponent with speed, power and technique. The Team Nogueira product doubled over Ross with a kick to the midsection, pinned him to the fence and cut loose with a blinding barrage of punches to the body and head until referee Matt Wynne had seen enough.
