LAS VEGAS – Azamat Murzakanov knew he needed to finish Tafon Nchukwi.
With one judge scoring the first two rounds for Nchukwi this past Saturday at UFC Fight Night 203, Murzakanov (11-0 MMA, 1-0 UFC) came into Round 3 with a sense of urgency.
Just 44 seconds into the final frame, Murzakanov landed a flying knee knockout that took out Nchukwi and earned him a $50,000 Performance of the Night bonus.
“In the second round, it wasn’t going my way, and I knew I lost maybe that round,” Murzakanov told reporters at the post-fight news conference. “And for the third round, I came out with the thought, with the plan, ‘Do or die in this cage. I’m going to give all,’ and this is what happened.
“From the start, it wasn’t going according to plan. He was an awkward opponent for me. It was difficult. I couldn’t find the rhythm. Also, he was stronger physically than I expected. But for me, the most important is the final result – the finish.”
Watch Murzakanov talk about his victory and more in the video above.
