Melquizael Costa delivered a moment of pure, jaw-dropping violence that will be etched into UFC highlight reels for years to come. At UFC Houston, Costa achieved what many considered impossible: he became the very first man to finish the notoriously durable Dan “100K” Ige. He didn't just win; he scored a sensational first-round knockout via a perfectly timed spinning back kick to the face that silenced the arena.

Heading into the bout, the narrative was centered on Ige’s legendary toughness. Having shared the Octagon with the featherweight elite and never once being stopped by strikes, Ige was the ultimate litmus test for Costa. For the first four minutes of the opening frame, the fight played out as a tense, high-level striking chess match. Ige pressed forward, utilizing his boxing to close the distance, while Costa used his length and dynamic movement to keep the veteran guessing.

As the ten-second clapper echoed through the arena, Ige lunged in with a combination, looking to land before the final bell. It was a fatal miscalculation. Costa pivoted with lightning speed, unleashing a devastating spinning back kick that landed flush on Ige’s jaw.

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The impact was sickeningly audible. Ige, renowned for an iron chin that had withstood the best the division had to offer, immediately dropped, crashing backward to the canvas. Costa immediately pounced with follow-up shots on the ground as the referee rushed in to wave it off. The official stoppage came at 4:56 of the first round.

The arena erupted into a mixture of shock and awe. To see Dan Ige stopped is a rarity; to see him rendered unconscious with a single strike is unprecedented.

For Dan Ige, this marks a painful milestone in an otherwise storied career built on grit and resilience. For Melquizael Costa, it is a star-making performance. With one spectacular strike, Costa didn't just secure a victory; he shattered an aura of invincibility and announced himself as a terrifying threat in the featherweight division. The 145-pound rankings have officially been put on notice.