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Conor McGregor teammate knocked out after opponent penalised 2 Points for illegal knee

Originally posted on HITC | By Jamie Theodosi | Last updated Aug 23, 2025 8:53 AM ET

Chinese prospect Taiyilake Nueraji made an impression in his UFC debut, although there was some controversy surrounding his win at UFC Shanghai.

Kiefer Crosbie went into Saturday’s card in Shanghai under pressure, needing a win to keep his UFC career alive after two straight defeats.

The 35-year-old faced off against Taiyilake Nueraji, a 24-year-old newcomer who also happened to be the youngest fighter on the card.

Nueraji put together a dominant performance against Crosbie, but there was an early incident that drew attention.

Kiefer Crosbie hit by illegal knee before Taiyilake Nueraji finishes the job

From the outset, Nueraji’s size was apparent. He opened with a kick and soon found himself in top position on the ground, using his reach to full effect.

The 24-year-old was controlling the fight early, moving into full mount and landing heavy elbows while Crosbie tried to escape. The referee had already taken a closer look when Crosbie managed to get to one knee in an effort to stand up.

As he did, Nueraji landed a clear illegal knee, which immediately stopped the action. Blood was streaming from Crosbie’s nose, but he told Marc Goddard he wanted to keep going.

Goddard responded by deducting two points from Nueraji — a significant penalty if the fight had gone beyond the first round.

But it didn’t matter in the end. When action resumed, Nueraji quickly secured another takedown and continued his ground assault until Goddard stepped in to call off the fight.

What’s next for Kiefer Crosbie after third UFC Loss?

With this now being Crosbie’s third loss under the UFC banner since signing for the promotion in 2023, his time in the promotion will surely be in jeopardy.

The Dubliner is now 35 years old, and with the promotion favouring younger prospects, he could find himself on the outside looking in.

Crosbie had spoken before the fight about his difficult path to get to this point, saying:

“I just had a different road, that was all. You know what I mean? I never really went out there and chased it like everyone else did.”

He then explained: “I was always fighting on other people’s shows. Fighting for people who were putting on fights, not chasing it myself until I got to that point where I was like ‘what am I doing here? Like I need to go all in or just give up.’”

This article first appeared on HITC and was syndicated with permission.

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