Losing three of his last four inside the Octagon, Andre Fili was hard-pressed for a win at UFC 296 on Saturday night.
Fili stepped into the cage determined to close out 2023 on a high note and he did exactly that, scoring a brutal first-round knockout of Brazilian standout Lucas Almeida during the early prelims portion of the final pay-per-view event of the year.
With nearly 90 seconds left in the opening round, ‘Touchy’ uncockred a short right hook that caught Almeida on the button and sent him crashing to the canvas.
Following his opponent to the ground, Fili unleashed a flurry of strikes that forced the referee to step in, calling for the stoppage and giving fans their second finish in as many fights.