UFC fighter left disfigured after record-breaking prelim fight

Originally posted on MMA on SI | By Mathew Riddle | Last updated Jul 26, 2025 12:57 PM ET

Steven Nguyen fought to a concussive effect at UFC Abu Dhabi, setting a record in his barn-burner prelim match against Mohammad Yahya.

A product of Dana White's Contender Series, Nguyen was known for his punching power, but the two featherweights would set a new UFC record in their otherwise underrated prelim battle.

Nguyen and Yahya traded bombs, but it was Yahya on the receiving end of all the damage. Nguyen sat Yahya down six times, breaking the UFC record of five for the most knockdowns in a fight.

Steven Nguyen sets UFC knockdown record in UFC Abu Dhabi firefight

Steven Nguyen breaks the UFC record for knockdowns against Mohammad Yahya pic.twitter.com/rOHJgrRfPp
— Timothy Wheaton MMA (@TimWheatonMMA) July 26, 2025

Somehow, Yahya survived all six, losing the fight by stoppage in the corner before round three due to a swollen eye. He miraculously scored a knockdown of his own in the second round, but his fairytale ending was cut short by referee Jason Herzog.

Don’t get into a fight with Steven Nguyen or you’ll look like this #UFCAbuDhabi pic.twitter.com/R9JwI5jYpu
— UFC FIFTH ROUND (@UFCFIFTHROUND) July 26, 2025

While entertaining, it raises the question of the corner's responsibility in the fight.

Yahya barely stumbled to his corner after round one, where his cornermen dragged him to the stool. Second, third, fourth, and fifth impacts after an initial concussion are no joke, and a corner stoppage should have been considered.

Thankfully, the swollen eye was reason enough for Herzog to stop the fight without disappointing bloodthirsty fight fans. With any luck, Yahya will receive a fight of the night bonus for the performance, but it's more likely that Nguyen gets a performance bonus instead.

This article first appeared on MMA on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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