Leon Shahbazyan Knocked Out in 23 Seconds by Levan Chokheli at UFC Vegas 119
Leon Shahbazyan suffered a knockout defeat in his UFC debut when Levan Chokheli stopped him in 23 seconds at UFC Vegas 119.
Leon Shahbazyan's UFC debut ended in disaster as Levan Chokheli delivered a knockout victory in just 23 seconds at UFC Fight Night 279. The welterweight bout took place at Meta APEX in Las Vegas, with Chokheli using leg kicks and striking combinations to force a referee stoppage.
The Fight
Chokheli (15-3 MMA record, 1-0 UFC) started aggressively from the opening moments of the welterweight contest. He targeted Shahbazyan's legs with kicks designed to damage and destabilize his opponent. After landing those leg strikes, Chokheli transitioned upstairs with a barrage of punches that sent Shahbazyan down to the canvas. Once grounded, Shahbazyan covered up defensively, prompting the referee to halt the bout immediately—marking the fastest finish of the fight card.
Chokheli's Path to the UFC
The 29-year-old Chokheli spent years competing in Bellator before finally receiving his opportunity in mixed martial arts' biggest promotion. His recent record shows momentum heading into the UFC, with four wins in his previous five bouts. His most recent victory came in May 2025 against Alexandre Goncalves via second-round knockout. After the fight, Chokheli expressed confidence during his post-fight interview with commentator Daniel Cormier, stating his skills could compete with fighters ranked in the top 15 or top 10 at 170 pounds.
Shahbazyan's Background
Shahbazyan entered the bout with a 12-5 overall MMA record and 12 finishes to his credit. However, his path to the UFC had been lengthy. He previously competed on Dana White's Contender Series in August 2019 but suffered a knockout loss to Phil Rowe. After a significant hiatus from competition between May 2023 and February 2025, Shahbazyan returned to fighting in smaller promotions, including Tuff-N-Uff, where he recorded four consecutive first-round submission victories. The brother of UFC fighter Edmen Shahbazyan, Leon stood at a physical advantage—six feet four inches tall with a 74-inch reach compared to Chokheli's five feet eleven inches and 72-inch reach. However, his record revealed a vulnerability: all four of his previous losses came by knockout.
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