Drew Dober stood in the center of the octagon at Rogers Arena, microphone in hand, apologizing to a hostile Vancouver crowd whose hometown hero had just been knocked unconscious.

But behind the Colorado veteran's emotional victory lay a heartbreaking revelation that put everything into perspective. During his fight camp preparation, Dober and his wife Hollis endured the devastating loss of their unborn second child, a tragedy he carried with him into the cage on one of the most important nights of his career.​​

“I've been dealing with a lot in this camp,” Dober told Daniel Cormier moments after his third-round TKO victory over Kyle Prepolec at UFC Fight Night 262. In the post-fight press conference, he elaborated on the cryptic statement, revealing the unthinkable pain he'd been navigating while preparing to snap a career-worst three-fight losing streak. “Unfortunately, uh, lost my child,” Dober said, his voice heavy with emotion. “We've been dealing with a lot and a lot of pressure”.​​

The 36-year-old lightweight, who already has a young daughter named Sonia with his wife, clarified on social media that the loss was of an unborn child, making the miscarriage one of the most difficult challenges he's faced outside the octagon. Yet somehow, Dober channeled that pain into one of the most urgent and explosive performances of his storied career.​

Breaking Point Becomes Breaking Through

Entering UFC Vancouver, Dober stood at a professional crossroads. The decorated striker had dropped three consecutive fights to Renato Moicano, Jean Silva, and Manuel Torres—his first extended losing streak in 43 professional fights spanning more than 15 years. Questions about retirement swirled during camp, adding another layer of pressure to an already unbearable situation.​​

“Three losses definitely hurts,” Dober admitted. “You get a lot of questions about retirement. I started taking myself a little too seriously. I had to remind myself why I started, what kept me going, you know, living in my car, trying to be a fighter, trying to make it into the UFC”.​

Against Prepolec, a Canadian fighter desperate for his first UFC victory in front of his home crowd, Dober rediscovered that hunger. The first two rounds delivered exactly the kind of firefight fans expected, with both men trading heavy leather in rapid-fire exchanges. Prepolec opened with sharp boxing, mixing leg kicks with crisp combinations that earned roars from the packed Rogers Arena. Dober absorbed punishment, including a clean spinning backfist and a powerful right hand that dropped him just before the second-round horn sounded.​​

Controversy and Redemption in the Final Frame

The third round began with a fist bump, but the sportsmanship quickly dissolved into chaos. Dober accidentally landed a brutal groin strike that dropped Prepolec to the canvas, forcing referee John Cooper to deduct a point after Prepolec took time to recover. The crowd booed mercilessly, sensing their fighter's moment slipping away.​​

Down on the scorecards and now penalized, Dober realized he needed a finish. What happened next was pure desperation meeting skill. He unleashed a furious barrage of strikes, cutting off the cage and landing vicious punches and knees that backed Prepolec against the fence. A devastating uppercut sealed the deal, forcing Cooper to wave off the contest at 1:16 of the third round.​

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“I knew we're one and one and so I had to win that third round,” Dober explained to Cormier in his octagon interview. “When the point was taken away, I knew I had to finish”.​

Historic Achievement Amid Heartbreak

Beyond snapping his losing streak, Dober's knockout victory carried historic significance. The finish marked his 10th knockout in UFC lightweight competition, surpassing retired legend Dustin Poirier's record of nine and giving Dober sole possession of the most knockouts in 155-pound history. It was a record he'd been chasing for years, though he admitted the obsession had become counterproductive.​

“Dustin Poirier is finally retired! I don't have to race him anymore, but it's a special moment,” Dober said at the post-fight press conference. “Most knockouts in the lightweight division, that record is…it's intense. I think the lightweight division is by far the most exciting division to ever exist”.​

The 36-year-old has built his reputation on exactly that kind of action, with 15 of his 28 career victories coming by knockout and six more by submission. Despite suffering significant damage during the fight, including a deep gash on his left shin that bled profusely throughout the bout, Dober never wavered.​

Moving Forward with Renewed Purpose

For Dober, who turns 37 later this month, the victory represents more than just a statistical achievement or career resurrection. It's a testament to the human spirit's capacity to endure, to compartmentalize grief, and to find meaning in the struggle. The Colorado native has experienced his share of adversity throughout his career, from living in his car while pursuing his UFC dream to navigating the brutal reality of fighting the world's best lightweights.​​

Now, having weathered the darkest period of his personal life while simultaneously facing professional extinction, Dober emerges with perspective that transcends sport. He promised the Vancouver crowd that in his next fight, he'll bring that third-round intensity from the opening bell, no longer waiting for desperation to unlock his best performance.​​

“I'm getting older, wiser, and better,” Dober declared in his octagon interview. “And we're going to do a better one next time around”.​

As Dober walked out of Rogers Arena with his hand raised, a UFC record to his name, and the weight of a three-fight losing streak finally lifted, the victory carried a bittersweet edge. The journey to breaking Dustin Poirier's record came at a cost no fighter should have to pay, forged in grief that no parent should endure. Yet in revealing his pain, Dober reminded the world that behind every fighter's toughness lies a human being navigating life's most profound challenges—and sometimes, the greatest victories happen when we fight through the things that truly matter.