How It Ended
Benn started fast in the first round, trying to close the distance and work inside. Garcia used his reach and footwork to keep him out there and kept landing the left hook on the way in.
Early in the second, a right hand put Benn down. He got up, but Garcia went after him along the ropes and referee Thomas Taylor stepped in at 1:25. Some fighters watching called the stoppage early; Benn was taking sustained punishment when it was waved off.
Full Card Results
| Bout | Result |
|---|---|
| Ryan Garcia vs. Conor Benn (WBC welterweight title) | Garcia by TKO, 1:25 of round 2 |
| Jai Opetaia vs. Noel Mikaelian (cruiserweight) | Opetaia by TKO, 1:30 of round 9 |
| Da’Mazion Vanhouter vs. Raphael Akpejiori | Vanhouter by KO, 1:58 of round 1 |
| Andres Cortes vs. Mark Magsayo | Cortes by unanimous decision, 97-93 on all three cards |
The Co-Main
Jai Opetaia confirmed his standing as the best cruiserweight in the world, stopping Noel Mikaelian in the ninth with an overhand right thrown out of a clinch. He has since agreed to face David Benavidez in 2027.
What Garcia Said
He called out Teofimo Lopez, the WBA champion, and Devin Haney, who holds the WBO version. Haney was shown on the big screen during the card and was loudly booed by the Las Vegas crowd. A unification fight at welterweight is the obvious next move.
The Records
The win moves Garcia to 26-2 and is his first successful defense since taking the WBC belt. Benn drops to 25-2, with both losses now coming in title fights.
Related
Fight preview and card · Noche UFC results
The Bottom Line
Garcia needed just over four minutes. A left hook that landed all night, a right hand that ended it, and a stoppage at 1:25 of the second round that keeps the WBC welterweight title in Las Vegas and sets up a run at Lopez or Haney.