Levan Chokheli wasted no time announcing himself in the UFC, stopping Leon Shahbazyan in just 23 seconds on the prelims of UFC Fight Night 279 at the Meta APEX in Las Vegas.
Chokheli, who closed as a 4-1 betting favorite in the welterweight bout, secured a quick first-round finish in his promotional debut, improving to 1-0 in the UFC and 15-3 overall. Former UFC bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili worked in Chokheli's corner.
"I was working on this combination the last couple weeks. That's what I was doing. You saw my knockout, right? This calf kick, 1-2 and overhand to the body – that's what I was working for," Chokheli said after the fight.
Chokheli highlighted his preference for striking while acknowledging other tools he can lean on when needed. "… I'm Georgian. My wrestling is good, but I would rather stay on the feet and throw my hands. But in the future, the welterweight division is the toughest one. There are a lot of good jiu-jitsu guys and good wrestlers. When I face them, it will be time to show you my wrestling skills and my jiu-jitsu skills. But today was today. What I did was the game plan – nothing else."
Shahbazyan, who entered with a 12-5 record, falls to 0-1 in the UFC after the loss. Chokheli, who previously fought seven times under the Bellator banner and has 80 percent of his wins by knockout, made a statement in his first Octagon appearance.
