Welcome to the latest edition of Missed Fists where we shine a light on fights from across the globe that may have been overlooked in these hectic times where it seems like there\u2019s an MMA show every other day.<\/p>\n
We\u2019re well into 2026 now, so we hope all of you are over your holiday hangovers and ready to jump headfirst into the wild, wacky world of combat sports again. The timing couldn\u2019t be better with the UFC\u2019s January kickoff event just around the corner, so as we prepare for the gears of the big machine to start churning again, let\u2019s take a moment to enjoy the simpler things.<\/p>\n
Alright, first up, we\u2019ve got OH NO.<\/p>\n
(Big thanks as always to @Barrelelapierna<\/a> for their weekly lists of the best KOs and submissions, and to @Grabaka_Hitman<\/a> for uploading many of the clips you see here. Give them a follow and chip in on Patreon<\/a> if you can.)<\/p>\n Isame Ennani vs. Erwan Teiga What a way to start your year.<\/p>\n At a Hexagone MMA event in Paris, amateur featherweight Erwan Teiga found himself defending a takedown against the fence, a situation we\u2019ve seen in countless MMA fights, and then getting dropped on his butt by Isame Ennani. Problem is, Teiga\u2019s leg was caught under him as he went to the mat and his ankle was immediately destroyed.<\/p>\n That looked like a 180-degree turn. I know this only because I watched the clip about a dozen times against my better judgment. Just to make sure.<\/p>\n Erwan, get well soon and let\u2019s hope we see you fight again in 2026.<\/p>\n Samba Sima, we want to see more of you, too.<\/p>\n Dipping and diving, spinning and winning, pure flow. Bravo, sir.<\/p>\n And while we\u2019re at it, props to you as well, Paul Dena.<\/p>\n It might not be as flashy as Sima\u2019s super combo finish, but a counter 1-2 like that always deserves recognition.<\/p>\n Daniel Trejo vs. Hunter Walking Eagle<\/p>\n OK, first of all, we\u2019re dealing with some great names here.<\/p>\n Daniel Trejo (no, not THE Danny Trejo, though \u201cMachete\u201d would be an outstanding nickname) took on Hunter Walking Eagle a.k.a. \u201cSioux Warrior\u201d at a Fusion Fight League event in Billings, Mont. and it\u2019s Trejo a.k.a. \u201cSuper Duper Sabretooth\u201d (!!!) who came out on top in a 40-second slugfest.<\/p>\n You can see Trejo eat a pair of hard shots in that clip and just keep swinging, with one of those left hands catching Walking Eagle right on the chin. And one was all it took.<\/p>\n Akram Ouchibi vs. Alexis Contreras Let\u2019s veer slightly off the path here for a couple of finishes outside of the realm of MMA, starting with Akram Ouchibi\u2019s unbelievable scissor kick knockout in a Muay Thai match at a Rajadamnern World Series event in Thailand.<\/p>\n Jean-Claude Van Damme would be jealous of that technique.<\/p>\n Over in Tokyo in a modified rules match, Carlos Mota (yes, one-time UFC fighter Carlos Mota) attempted to flatten opponent Naoki Arikawa\u2019s skull in the midst of a frantic finish.<\/p>\n I think we should all be grateful that flying stomp didn\u2019t land.<\/p>\n Will Fleury vs. Martin Buday<\/p>\n Let\u2019s dip all the way back to the final days of 2025 to check in with Oktagon MMA, where we closed out the epic saga of Martin Buday\u2019s journey from UFC heavyweight contender to Oktagon title challenger.<\/p>\n If you recall, Buday opened the year with a pair of decision wins, but ended up being unjustly released after an ugly fight with the newly signed Marcus Buchecha (who the matchmakers presumably had high hopes for). He then made the move to Oktagon, where he received an immediate title shot.<\/p>\n Unfortunately for \u201cBadys,\u201d this story doesn\u2019t end in triumph.<\/p>\n Two-division champion Will Fleury was defending his heavyweight belt for the first time and he made a serious statement by knocking Buday out in under two minutes. And so ends the #JusticeForBuday campaign (that I may have started), and so continues the impressive run of flurry, who is now 9-0 (1 NC) dating back to 2020.<\/p>\n If you know of a recent fight or event that you think may have been overlooked, or a promotion that could use some attention, please let us know on X \u2014 @AlexanderKLee<\/a> \u2014 using the hashtag #MissedFists.<\/p>\n
Samba Sima vs. Nikolaj Makarenko
Paul Dena vs. Paulo Santos<\/p>\n
Carlos Mota vs. Naoki Arikawa<\/p>\n