UFC 241 results: Sodiq Yusuff puts Gabriel Benitez away with stunning first-round TKO

James Elsby-USA TODAY Sports

Sodiq Yusuff wanted to make an impression after getting an opportunity to compete on one of the biggest UFC pay-per-view cards of the year.

Consider it mission accomplished as the Nigerian born featherweight put Gabriel Benitez away with a stunning TKO at 4:14 into the opening round in their fight at UFC 241 on Saturday night in Anaheim, Calif.

“It’s a blessing to fight on this card,” Yusuff said following the TKO win. “I’m Nigerian baby, I’m built for struggle. This is what we do.”

As soon as he was released from the corner, Yusuff was marching forward and throwing heat behind a right hand that clipped Benitez repeatedly. A cut opened up on the side of Benitez’s left eye as Yusuff was still flurrying with his combinations.

The onslaught definitely had Benitez backing up early but he turned things around midway through the opening round with a powerful counter punch that stunned Yusuff and sent him to the canvas for a moment.

The punch only served to wake Yusuff up as he abandoned the overly aggressive game plan and instead started setting up his own counter shots.

The payoff came with less than a minute remaining as Benitez plowed forward and Yusuff came back with a devastating right hand that sent the American Kickboxing Academy fighter crashing to the mat in a heap.

It's over!@Super_Sodiq finishes Benitez in round 1! #UFC241 pic.twitter.com/wX6QArngNJ

— UFC (@ufc) August 18, 2019

Yusuff followed up with a few more punches and hammer fists before the referee rushed into stop the contest before Benitez could endure any more damage.

The TKO victory moves Yusuff to 10-1 in his career with a perfect 3-0 resume thus far in his young UFC career. He considered it an honor to fight on the UFC 241 main card, and with those kinds of performances, Yusuff will likely find himself in a similar spot again in the future.