Fight fans were in for a treat early Friday evening (May 26, 2023) when Oli Thompson sent fellow Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) veteran Alexey Oleynik into another dimension, thanks to a vicious first-round knockout (punch).
The heavyweight bout ended Friday night in Moscow, Russia. It was headlined by a regional card that also included the return of Alexander Emelianenko and his little brother Ivan. The Russian event wasn’t a bit of a can’t-miss, but delivered when needed.
The main event didn’t make it out of the first round as Thompson completely flattened Oleinik with a vicious right into the frame. It landed a clean and sent Oleinik back onto the canvas. He hit the ground and came out for a count. Thompson didn’t even need an insurance shot to seal the deal. Oleinik was toast.
Check out the ending below:
Thompson, 43, was on a four-fight losing streak coming into the day, so this was a much-needed win for the England veteran. Funnily enough, Thompson’s latest win was also a one-two knockout when he stopped Simon Bajor in 23 seconds in June 2020. He’ll be looking to carry that new momentum into the second half of 2023.
Oleinik, on the other hand, was making his first appearance since his breakup with the UFC in October 2022. He is now 1-5 in his last six professional fights, which include three knockout defeats.