Rising light heavyweight Billy Elekana achieved victory at UFC Vegas 110 in the most unconventional way possible. He ended up securing a controversial rear-naked choke submission while sporting his fight shorts completely backwards.
The wardrobe malfunction went largely unnoticed until sharp-eyed viewers pointed out that Elekana’s Venum sponsor logo, which should have been positioned on the back of his shorts, was clearly visible from the front throughout the entire bout. The fashion faux pas didn’t seem to hinder his performance in the slightest.
Elekana earned his second consecutive UFC victory by finishing Kevin Christian in the opening round of their preliminary card matchup. The bout started with both competitors exchanging strikes on their feet before Elekana landed a devastating counter left hand that visibly rocked his opponent.
Sensing an opportunity to finish, Elekana poured on relentless ground strikes that forced Christian to turn away defensively, exposing his back in the process. The Hawaiian immediately capitalized, locking in the rear-naked choke.
What followed sparked debate among fans and observers. Christian attempted to signal his submission by tapping, but his hand became trapped against Elekana’s body, concealing the gesture from referee Chris Tognoni, who was positioned on the opposite side of the competitors. Within moments, Christian went unconscious, prompting Tognoni to wave off the contest at 3:33 of the first round.
Despite the controversy surrounding the finish, Elekana’s victory stands as official. The unconventional circumstances have only added to the buzz surrounding the young prospect, who continues building momentum in the UFC’s light heavyweight division.
Whether the reversed shorts were an honest mistake or simply an oversight in the chaos of fight preparation remains unclear, but they’ve certainly ensured that Elekana’s name won’t be forgotten anytime soon.
