September delivered exactly what MMA fans crave: highlight-reel knockouts, shocking downfalls, retirements, and even some outside-the-cage chaos. From UFC Paris, to the fireworks of UFC Noche in Texas, to the Oceanic showdown at UFC Perth, the month had a little bit of everything. Although, this month we do not have any championship event, aka the event by number. But still a wild month for hardcore fans.

Let’s rewind through the chaos.

🇫🇷 UFC Paris — Knockout Frenzy & Homegrown Heroes

La Ville Lumiere was violent in all the right ways. The card tied a UFC record with nine KO/TKO finishes, handing out post-fight bonuses like candy.

• Main Event: Nassourdine Imavov outworked Caio Borralho in a measured unanimous decision.
• Co-Main: Benoit Saint-Denis got the French crowd buzzing with a face-crank submission over Mauricio Ruffy, extending the Fighting Nerds’ skid.
• Other Highlights: Ante Delija flatlined Marcin Tybura in Round 1, Mason Jones TKO’d Bolaji Oki, and Oumar Sy stopped Brendson Ribeiro.

But the real story wasn’t just in the cage:

• The only guy who won Magomed Ankalaev, Paul Craig retired after a KO loss to Modestas Bukauskas, closing a gritty, fan-loved career.
• The Fighting Nerds curse deepened, as Ruffy’s loss piled onto weeks of defeats for the squad.
• Last-minute replacements (like Harry Hardwick swooping in from Cage Warriors) kept the card alive.

For French MMA fans, Saint-Denis’ win was a perfect homecoming. For the Fighting Nerds, it was another nightmare chapter.

🇺🇸 UFC Noche — Diego Lopes Humbled Jean Silva

At UFC Noche, the spotlight belonged to Diego Lopes, who delivered one of the best knockouts of the year.

Facing Jean Silva, Lopes mixed takedowns and ground control with calculated striking. Then in Round 2, he unleashed a spinning elbow that floored Silva, sealing the deal with ground-and-pound.

📊 Key Stats:

• Sig Strikes: Lopes 74, Silva 43
• Takedowns: Lopes 3/4, Silva 0
• Control Time: Lopes 2:40 vs Silva 0:03

For Lopes, it was a star-making night. For Silva? Another nail in the coffin of the Fighting Nerds hype train. Add in Borralho and Ruffy’s losses from Paris, and the squad closed September with three straight L’s.

🇦🇺 UFC Perth — Ulberg Flattens Reyes

The month ended in Perth, where the Oceanic crowd got their hero moment. Carlos Ulberg defended his turf by flattening former title challenger Dominick Reyes in Round 1.

Reyes started tentative, trying to find his rhythm, but Ulberg quickly took control. A stiff jab forced Reyes backward, and just before the horn, Ulberg uncorked a jab–hook counter that sent Reyes crashing to the canvas. Marc Goddard stepped in as the arena erupted.

📊 Quick Stats:

• Sig Strikes: Ulberg landed the cleaner, sharper shots
• Win streak extended to 9 straight for Ulberg
• Reyes… another KO, another trip to the shadow realm

This was a statement. Ulberg is knocking on the door of a title shot, while Reyes’ career has gone from “nearly beat Jon Jones” to “can he even keep a roster spot?”

🎭 Outside-the-Cage

September wasn’t just about finishes:

• McGregor stirred headlines (again) with rumors of a comeback fight in December, proving he doesn’t need to throw punches to stay relevant.
• The Fighting Nerds became a meme across social media, with fans roasting their losing streak after Paris + Noche.
• UFC Paris also sparked controversy when multiple weight-cut disasters forced late changes, highlighting the never-ending “weight management” debate.
• Rafael Fiziev pull out the fight with Charles Oliveira due to injury, Mateusz Gamrot jumped in his spot.

💭 Closing

September 2025 gave us everything: French fighters lighting up Paris, Diego Lopes spinning into highlight history, and Carlos Ulberg cementing himself as a legit contender while Dominick Reyes fell deeper into decline. Add retirements, chaos, and the ongoing curse of the Fighting Nerds, and it’s a month fans won’t forget even without championship matchup.

👉 What about you? Which fight or finish stood out the most in September—Lopes’ spinning elbow, Ulberg’s KO, or Saint-Denis’ home crowd moment? Drop your take in the comments 👇.