Del Valle Stops Elkins In 35 Seconds At UFC Vegas 120
Yadier del Valle spoiled Darren Elkins' retirement fight with a brutal left hand knockout just 35 seconds into the opening round at UFC Vegas 120 on Saturday.
The featherweight bout ended in disaster for the 42-year-old veteran after del Valle connected with a hellacious left that sent Elkins crashing to the canvas at the Meta Apex in Las Vegas. The referee rushed in immediately to wave off the contest, per MMA Fighting.
Del Valle Pays Tribute After Fastest Finish
Del Valle acknowledged the difficulty of facing a retiring veteran in his post-fight interview. "Please for everyone a round of applause for Darren Elkins," he said, according to MMA Mania. "This was one of the hardest camps I've had. This is the first thing. So I was ready for this."
Elkins absorbed immense pressure from the opening bell. After fending off a kick and missing on a takedown attempt, he was already backing up when del Valle uncorked the finish. A few follow-up strikes landed before the stoppage, giving del Valle the fastest victory of Elkins' UFC career.
The veteran laid his gloves down in the octagon afterward, confirming he was done regardless of the result. "Gratitude," Elkins told reporters, as MMA Fighting reported. "I didn't love how this ended but that's life. I'm going to keep going. I can't lose in life. I'm happy."
Elkins retires with a 29-13 record after almost 17 years as a professional. He holds the UFC featherweight record for most bouts with 29 and sits second all-time in division wins with 18. He earned four post-fight bonuses during his run.
Elkins had not competed since a TKO loss to Julian Erosa in April 2025.
Original reporting:
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