Cristian Perez needed less than 30 seconds to make a heck of a first impression at UFC Edmonton.
In his first UFC fight, Perez showed why he was one of the night’s biggest favorites as he went toe-to-toe with veteran Kyle Nelson before putting the Canadian away with a blistering combination in the opening round.
Watch the fast finish below.
Cristian Perez put Kyle Nelson through a woodchipper at #UFCEdmonton! 😱😱 pic.twitter.com/9uBP1Hrz1u
— MMA Fighting (@MMAFighting) October 18, 2026
After Perez went for an Imanari roll to try and catch Nelson off guard, it was actually Nelson who landed the first significant strike of the match with a right hand that had Perez off balance. That only seemed to wake Perez up as he charged forward throwing heavy leather, eventually connecting with a combination that put Nelson on his back. Perez rained down hammerfists to secure the stoppage.
Perez (16-2) came in with plenty of buzz after being signed off of Dana White’s Contender Series in August. He didn’t disappoint, finishing Nelson to make it 13 wins by knockout or submission.
For Nelson (17-8-1), this is his second straight loss by KO/TKO and he has now been finished in three of his past four fights.