UFC Fight Night 231 video: Elves Brener faceplant KOs short-notice opponent, calls for top-15 fight

Elves Brener continued the hot start to his octagon tenure on Saturday when he violently finished newcomer Kaynan Kruschewsky at UFC Fight Night 231.

Brener (16-3 MMA, 2-0 UFC) had some early struggles figuring out Kruschewsky (15-3 MMA, 0-1 UFC) in the 165-pound catchweight bout at Ginasio Do Ibirapuera in Sao Paulo, but he got the big highlight he was looking for when he landed a huge overhand that clipped his opponent and send him crashing face-first into the mat for the knockout at the 4:01 mark of Round 1.

Check out the replay of Brener’s brutal finish below (via X):

After starting his UFC run with upsets of Tagir Ulanbekov and Guram Kutateladze, the Brazilian got a major highlight against Kruschewsky. Now, he wants a step up into the top 15 in the lightweight division.

“Props to Kaynan, he took this fight last minute – I’ve had a lot of opponents back out of fights, I don’t know what’s happening,” Brener told Michael Bisping through an interpreter during his post-fight interview. “I’ll fight anyone. Dana (White), give me someone in the top 15.”

Up-to-the-minute UFC Fight Night 231 results include:

• Elves Brener def. Kaynan Kruschewsky via knockout (punch) – Round 1, 4:01

• Rinat Fakhretdinov vs. Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos declared majority draw (29-28, 28-28, 28-28)

• Vitor Petrino def. Modestas Bukauskas via knockout (punch) – Round 2, 1:03

• Angela Hill def. Denise Gomes via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)

• Eduarda Moura def. Montserrat Conejo via TKO (strikes) – Round 2, 2:14

• Marc Diakiese def. Kaue Fernandes via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 30-27)

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 231.

Story originally appeared on MMA Junkie