At UFC Vegas 109, held on August 9, 2025 at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, bantamweight prospect Elijah Smith took on Toshiomi Kazama. The fight aired live on ESPN+. Smith ended the bout with a stunning slam knockout in the first round and later acknowledged MMA icon Rampage Jackson as inspiration.
Round One – Slam KO Shocks the Audience
The fight began with Kazama working from the bottom, searching for an opening. He managed to lock in a triangle choke, forcing Smith into a defensive scramble. Then Smith reversed the situation with extraordinary force. He lifted Kazama into the air and powerbombed him down with his head hitting the cage floor. The impact knocked Kazama out instantly. The referee ended the fight at exactly 4 minutes and 10 seconds of the first round.
SLAM KO 🤯 #UFCVegas106 pic.twitter.com/F0l4kQtTuY
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) August 9, 2025
Medical staff attended the scene immediately and transported Kazama to a hospital for evaluation. Fortunately, CT scans on his head, neck, and face showed no serious injury. He was expected to be released later that night and recover fully.
During his post-fight interview, Smith paid tribute to MMA legend Rampage Jackson, crediting him for motivating such a rare slam finish.
Elijah Smith, now 2-0 in the UFC and 9-1 in his pro career, trains with a strong wrestling base and is emerging as a dynamic finisher in the bantamweight division.
Toshiomi Kazama falls to 1-3 in the UFC after this loss. Despite showing resilience, he was unable to defend against Smith’s powerful slam.
