Las Vegas, NV, January 11: (LR) Punahele Soriano defeats Uros Medic of Serbia in a welterweight bout during the UFC Fight Night event at UFC APEX on January 11, 2025 in Las Vegas, NV. hit. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)
Former middleweight (and heavyweight earlier in his career) Punahele Soriano continued his run at 170 pounds on Saturday, taking on Uros Medic in a welterweight bout at UFC Vegas 101.
This fight was Hawaiian Soriano’s second fight since moving down to welterweight. He picked up a victory over Miguel Baeza. Medic also had one win against Tim Means.
Medic, who entered the contest, was a firm favorite (-225) at the online sportsbook. However, he quickly proved the oddsmakers wrong. Both fighters started the first round in southpaw stances, with Soriano quickly moving forward. Soriano hit a straight left followed by a right hand that put out the medic’s lights. As his opponent crashed to the canvas, Soriano delivered some brutal ground and pound to end the fight. This was Soriano’s first finish in the UFC welterweight division, earning him a knockout in just 31 seconds.
After the match, Punahele Soriano had enough energy to do a few push-ups on this card. In the post-match interview, Soriano revealed that he and his wife are having a baby girl, and that the baby is due in June. With that in mind, Soriano isn’t sure if he’ll fight again before the big day. Either way, this was a statement win for the Hawaiian fighter, adding another knockout to his highlight reel.
Official result: Punahele Soriano def. Uros Medic, knockout (punch), round 1, 0:31
