Fighter Elbek Elbuzdukaev forfeited his match after sustaining a jaw-breaking elbow strike. This incident highlights the risks faced in combat sports.
Key points
Elbek Elbuzdukaev forfeited his fight
He sustained a jaw-breaking elbow strike
The incident underscores risks in combat sports
UFC and other promotions are active in 2026
Elbek Elbuzdukaev
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’s an MMA show every other day.
Sometimes, life is good as a combat sports fan. The UFC is back in form after a slow start to 2026, PFL and ONE Championship are still chugging along (more on that later), and yes, fighters continue to beat the stuffing out of each other on the regional scene.
It can be overwhelming (Khamzat Chimaev and Sean Strickland fight soon, and Ronda Rousey and Gina Carano are coming back???), so it’s important to know when to take a step back and know your limits.
Kind of like what happened with Elbek Elbuzdukaev.
(Big thanks as always to @Barrelelapierna for their weekly lists of the best KOs, and to @Grabaka_Hitman for uploading many of the clips you see here. Give them a follow and chip in on Patreon if you can.)
Wouter van Bussel vs. Elbek Elbuzdukaev
At a Levels Fight League event in Antwerp, Belgium, Elbuzdukaev was engaged in a pretty standard clinch exchange against the fence when his opponent Wouter van Bussel made the most of a separation, clanging an elbow right across Elbuzdukaev’s chin.
Elbuzdukaev immediately felt something was wrong and the commentary team caught on quick, speculating that van Bussel “potentially just broke Elbuzdukaev’s jaw.” It’s unclear exactly what the injury was, but it was definitely enough for Elbuzdukaev to know he’d run his race as he indicated that he was good with forfeiting the match.
Live to fight another day, we always say.
Levels Fight League 22 is available for free replay on YouTube.
Ariel Frantz vs. Lacey Vazquez Donovin Jeffcoat vs. Jonathan Norris
We had another banger of a standing knockout over in Boise, Idaho, as Ariel Frantz just trucked Lacey Vazquez in 34 seconds an amateur flyweight bout.
These kinds of finishes typically have some room for interpretation, but I think we can all agree that if it weren’t for Vazquez’s body bouncing off the fence and the referee stepping in for the save, she was about to eat canvas.
Amateur heavyweight Donovin Jeffcoat also scored a first-round finish, uncorking a right hand with his back against the fence and catching all of Jonathan Norris’ face. We love our big boy knockouts around here.
Front Street Fights 35 is available for free replay on YouTube.
Justin Clarke vs. Abdoulaye Kane
The PFL has been busy in 2026, following up on a strong 2025 campaign in which the league seemed to find a good balance between competitive main card matchups with ranking implications and old-fashioned squash matches (much like the UFC this year). Big shout-out to the undefeated Mitch McKee who broke into our bantamweight top 15 with a win over Sergio Pettis at PFL Chicago, and everyone on Thursday’s PFL Belfast card for overdelivering on some sweet mid-week MMA.
Lost in the shuffle was a recent trip to Pretoria, which saw Justin Clarke score an incredible comeback knockout out of nowhere.
WHAT A COMEBACK!! 🤯
JUSTIN CLARKE KO'S ABDOULAYE KANE OUT OF NOWHERE!!
Abdoulaye Kane had Clarke hurt and attempted to force the issue to find a finish, completely leaving his guard down and giving Clarke the opening he needed to land a wild counterpunch. Clarke didn’t win any points for technique, but you can’t argue with the results.
Dzhabir Dzhabrailov vs. Chase Mann Joshua Perreira vs. Gilbert Nakatani Sam-A vs. Elmehdi El Jamari
Over a ONE Fight Night event in Bangkok, Dzhabir Dzhabrailov gave us another comeback to remember.
Dzhabir Dzhabrailov rallies from a knockdown to SLEEP Chase Mann in the first round with a massive left hook. Nasty KO in the main event. Dzhabrailov now 7-0 #ONEFightNight42pic.twitter.com/IpZ7VM3ote
After surviving a knockdown and some punishment on the ground, Dzhabrailov composed himself and landed a thudding left hand on the money to put away Chase Mann.
Joshua Perreira’s spinning backfist knockout didn’t have quite the same buildup, but the impact was just as devastating.
PFFFF. Joshua "Flyin Hawaiian" Perreira SMOKES Gilbert Nakatani in 38 seconds with a spinning back fist. Perreira moves to 6-0 #ONEFightNight42pic.twitter.com/Mf5jI1i5HN
You might have to watch that one multiple times, it was so damn fast.
Let’s not forget what ONE Championship does best, though, giving some of the best kickboxers in the world a platform to strut their stuff. In this instance, it was Sam-A and Elmehdi El Jamari putting each other on their butts until Sam-A brought a merciful end to the brutality with a fiery head kick.
Ion Surdu has scored his fair share of highlight-reel knockouts, but this time it was his turn to go down hard after eating a short right hand from Amiran Gogoladze. Major style points to Gogoladze for holding back once the referee jumped in and the subdued celebration.
Jan Stanovsky could not afford to be so merciful.
Stanovský chytl krásný triangle a uloktoval Rajewského ve 2.kole. Taky otáčel zápas, po prvním kole to úplně nevypadalo. Stanovský má ten grappling výborný 👏 #Oktagon86pic.twitter.com/ZkCekYJEmm
With opponent Lukasz Rajewski trapped in a triangle, Stanovsky did what he was supposed to do, launching repeated elbows to the dome until the referee had no choice but to stop the fight.
Rudy Johnson vs. Niko Martinez Joe Serna vs. Barrett Langham Sarah Moussaddak vs. Maria Hingu Kevin Dolvik vs. Marko Boychuk
Barrett Langham might have been the victim of bad luck there as it looked like Serna was starting to kick before Langham even changed levels for the takedown, but that’s how this game goes sometimes.
A day before Carlos Ulberg rocked Jiri Prochazka with a left hand and finished with ground-and-pound, Sarah Moussaddak did the same thing at an Ares FC show in Paris.
Sure, we’re all going to remember Ulberg’s more, but let’s not forget Moussaddak did it first. And it only took her 30 seconds!
Kevin Dolvik vs. Marko Boychuk
Lastly, from a Fight Club Rush event in Vasteras, Sweden, we have Kevin Dolvik and Marko Boychuk engaging in the purest form of martial arts competition: Swinging at each other like maniacs until one fighter falls.
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 —@AlexanderKLee— using the hashtag #MissedFists.
Q&A
What happened to Elbek Elbuzdukaev during the fight?
Elbek Elbuzdukaev forfeited his match after receiving a jaw-breaking elbow strike.
Why did Elbek Elbuzdukaev forfeit his fight?
He forfeited due to the severe injury caused by a jaw-breaking elbow strike.
What are the risks associated with MMA fights?
MMA fights carry significant risks, including severe injuries like fractures and concussions from strikes.
How does a fighter's injury affect their career in MMA?
Injuries can lead to forfeits, affect a fighter's ranking, and may result in extended recovery times, impacting their future fights.
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