Overview
- Levan Chokheli landed a heavy outside leg kick and finished Leon Shahbazyan with punches 23 seconds into the first round at UFC Vegas 119 on Saturday.
- The official result was a TKO (leg kick and punches) at 0:23, improving Chokheli’s pro record to 15-3, 1NC and marking his first UFC win.
- Leon Shahbazyan suffered a rapid loss in his promotional debut, leaving him 0-1 in the UFC and denying him a chance to show the skillset that earned him a Dana White’s Contender Series appearance.
- Chokheli arrives in the UFC off a mixed run in Bellator, including a loss to Lorenz Larkin, and this quick finish provides immediate momentum as he seeks to climb the 170-pound ranks.
- Promotional debuts often change a fighter’s path quickly, so expect Chokheli to gain opportunity and attention while Shahbazyan will likely need a short-term rebound to rebuild his UFC prospects.