Bilal Hasan wasted no time making his UFC debut memorable, blasting Nilson Rojas with a vicious right hand to score a spectacular knockout at the Oriental Sports Center in Shanghai, China.
Hasan made the walk just 18 days after earning his UFC contract on Dana White’s Contender Series. The 25-year-old had needed only 45 seconds to stop Mridul Saikia and preserve his unbeaten record, earning himself an immediate UFC opportunity.
For his promotional debut, Hasan was matched with undefeated Peruvian prospect Rojas at UFC Shanghai, setting up a clash between two fighters who had never tasted professional defeat.
Bilal Hasan Flattens Nilson Rojas With Picture-Perfect Right Hand At UFC Shanghai
Bilal Hasan immediately went to work with his kicks, mixing attacks to the head and body while using his speed to keep Rojas uncomfortable. A hard body shot appeared to hurt Nilson Rojas, but the Peruvian recovered and continued marching forward.
Two minutes into the opening round, “The IndoNinja” changed levels and secured a takedown, forcing Rojas to work from his back. Hasan briefly took the back and looked for an opening while Rojas scrambled desperately to escape. After eventually getting free, “El Rayo” returned to his feet and the pair traded in a series of fast-paced exchanges before the bell.
The second round, however, belonged entirely to Hasan. As Rojas leaned forward, “The IndoNinja” unleashed a fully extended straight right that landed flush on the jaw, sending him crashing to the canvas. Hasan landed just one follow-up punch before the referee immediately intervened at 2:28 of Round 2.
The knockout keeps Bilal Hasan unbeaten at 10-0 with one no contest, while Rojas suffers the first defeat of his career and falls to 9-1.