Latest news with #Brahimaj
USA Today
4 hours ago
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Ramiz Brahimaj explains emotional outburst after devastating choke at UFC on ESPN 68
Ramiz Brahimaj explains emotional outburst after devastating choke at UFC on ESPN 68 Show Caption Hide Caption Ramiz Brahimaj earns win with devastating choke finish at UFC Vegas 107 UFC on ESPN 68 winner Ramiz Brahimaj talks to MMA Junkie and other reporters post-fight after his first-round submission of Billy Ray Goff. LAS VEGAS – Ramiz Brahimaj met the media Saturday after his first-round submission win over Billy Ray Goff at UFC on ESPN 68. Brahimaj (12-5 MMA, 4-3 UFC) took out Goff (11-4 MMA, 1-2 UFC) with a sickeningly brutal standing guillotine choke at the UFC Apex. The win got Brahimaj a $50,000 performance bonus – his second straight. After the win, which kept his perfect finish rate intact and was his 11th submission in 12 wins, Brahimaj explained why the victory made his so emotional. Check out Brahimaj's post-fight news conference in the video above.
USA Today
3 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
UFC on ESPN 68 video: Ramiz Brahimaj slumps Billy Ray Goff cold with standing choke
UFC on ESPN 68 video: Ramiz Brahimaj slumps Billy Ray Goff cold with standing choke Ramiz Brahimaj scored one of the most vicious submissions in recent memory at UFC on ESPN 68 when he put Billy Ray Goff to sleep. Brahimaj (12-5 MMA, 4-3 UFC) applied a tight standing guillotine choke on Goff (9-4 MMA, 1-2 UFC) in the opening round of their welterweight bout on Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas and squeezed until he dropped his opponent's lifeless body to the canvas with shades of Jon Jones' finish of Lyoto Machida back in December 2011. Check out the replay of the brutal stoppage below (via X): With the win, Brahimaj maintained his 100 percent career finish rate and now has back-to-back wins in the octagon. He said he thinks this is the start of his best days at 170 pounds. "I feel like I'm home," Brahimaj said in his post-fight interview with Daniel Cormier. "I've battled through a lot. I was going to hang up these gloves two years ago due to injuries. I know it's God pushing me toward this journey, so I'm here." Up-to-the-minute UFC on ESPN 68 results:
USA Today
3 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Ramiz Brahimaj vs. Billy Ray Goff prediction, pick, start time for UFC on ESPN 68
Ramiz Brahimaj vs. Billy Ray Goff prediction, pick, start time for UFC on ESPN 68 Welterweight finishers Ramiz Brahimaj and Billy Ray Goff clash on the UFC on ESPN 68 main card. Can the judges put their pencils down for this one? Ramiz Brahimaj and Billy Ray Goff meet Saturday on the main card of UFC on ESPN 68 at UFC Apex in Las Vegas. Check out this quick breakdown of the matchup from MMA Junkie analyst Dan Tom. Last event: 3-1 UFC main cards, 2025: 46-39-1 Ramiz Brahimaj vs. Billy Ray Goff UFC on ESPN 68 preview Brahimaj (11-5 MMA, 3-3 UFC) picked up his first career Performance of the Bonus award in his last outing against Mickey Gall at UFC 309. Brahimaj finished the fight by knockout in the first round to rebound from a unanimous decision loss against Themba Gorimbo last May. Brahimaj has traded wins and losses since starting his pro career 6-0. ... Goff (9-3 MMA, 1-1 UFC) aims to retrun to the win column in just his third UFC appearance. After impressing in his debut with a first-round knockout of Yusaku Kinoshita, his six-fight winning streak came to an end in his sophomore appearance against Trey Waters last May – although the bout won the Fight of the Night bonus. Ramiz Brahimaj vs. Billy Ray Goff UFC on ESPN 68 expert pick, prediction Serving as a solid action fight at 170 pounds is a battle between Brahimaj and Goff. Brahimaj, who works with the well-respected Sayif Saud, showed some of his striking progression last time out with a knockout win over Mickey Gall. That said, Brahimaj is primarily a grappler who loves to get things done early. Goff is a wildman who will give Brahimaj opportunities early, but he's also a dangerous offensive dynamo in his own right. It's also worth noting that Goff has been preparing for multiple dates ahead of this Saturday's booking and looks to be in career-best shape. I hate picking against fighters affiliated with coach Saud, but I suspect that Goff can survive the early storms en route to a knockout win in Round 2. Ramiz Brahimaj vs. Billy Ray Goff UFC on ESPN 68 odds The oddsmakers and the public are favoring the younger fighter, listing Goff -340 and Brahimaj +260 via FanDuel. Ramiz Brahimaj vs. Billy Ray Goff UFC on ESPN 68 start time, how to watch Brahimaj and Goff are expected to walk to the cage at approximately 11:10 p.m. ET. The fight broadcasts on ESPN+.
USA Today
5 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
UFC on ESPN 68's Ramiz Brahimaj bringing 'dominating mindset' into new matchup
UFC on ESPN 68's Ramiz Brahimaj bringing 'dominating mindset' into new matchup Show Caption Hide Caption Hear Ramiz Brahimaj defend teammate Belal Muhammad after title loss UFC on ESPN 68's Ramiz Brahimaj spoke to MMA Junkie and reporters at media day for his welterweight bout vs. Billy Ray Goff on Saturday in Las Vegas. LAS VEGAS – Ramiz Brahimaj is keeping the same confident mindset despite the uncertainty just days before UFC on ESPN 68 fight week. Brahimaj (11-5 MMA, 3-3 UFC) was planning on a showdown against Oban Elliott, but due to visa issues, the matchup was scratched days before the event. Brahimaj drew Billy Ray Goff as a short-notice replacement for the main card bout at UFC Apex. "It didn't matter who it was, I said yes immediately, before I even knew who I was going to fight," Brahimaj said at media day. "... I think around 3:30 (last) Friday we found out that our opponent pulled out and I was like, 'Hey man, listen: I'ma go get a workout in right now. (I'll say) Yes. It don't matter who it is. Let's just do it.' "I'm not here for a long time, right? I'm here for a good time, and let's have a good time next Saturday. As soon as the name came through, we already said yes, and just signed the contract, and that's it." Since 2018, Brahimaj has traded wins and losses. He looks to buck that trend with a win over Goff (9-3 MMA, 1-1 UFC), to keep the momentum alive after a first-round knockout of Mickey Gall in November. "Several different ways that I could go about this," Brahimaj said. "A lot things that I was already working on in training camp, so like I said, it just happened to be intertwined correctly. It's just my moment. May 31, this Saturday, is just my moment. I could win by submission, decision, knockout – whatever it's gonna be, I just have a dominating mindset right now." Brahimaj, 32, may have said a decision win is an option, but the reality is, every win in his professional career has come no later than Round 2 – and that was just one fight. Ten of his 11 victories have come by first-round stoppage. He aims to use his self-described "sometimes chaotic as sh*t" fighting style to make a statement Saturday. "I want to put a stamp on it," Brahimaj said. "I always do. Anytime I come into this octagon, I want to do that. I have the mindset of I'm fighting for my job every single time. I could be on a 10-fight win streak. I could win the belt, and I'm fighting for my job every single time."
