At UFC Vegas 109, Elijah Smith didn’t just win; he may have etched his name into highlight reels for years to come. Toshiomi Kazama was the unlucky recipient of a move straight out of MMA folklore. Remember Quinton ‘Rampage’ Jackson’s iconic finish over Ricardo Arona from PRIDE?

Something just as explosive took place at the UFC Apex, and for former champion, Henry Cejudo, it may have been a sign that maybe he should consider changing weight classes!

It all happened in just over four minutes of round one. Kazama threatened with submissions, a triangle choke here, a heel hook there. But Smith had other plans. He lifted Kazama high above the canvas, adjusted his grip, and slammed him down with precision. The kind of slam that doesn’t just end a fight, it leaves a mark on history and on the floor.

Kazama lay still, and the arena went quiet for a moment before the medics rushed in. Thankfully, he regained consciousness quickly. Smith, ever respectful, said afterward, “I just want to pray for my opponent, hopefully he makes it home safe, I knew I had the ability to keep up with the guy on the ground. I’m still just as good as they come. I knew I had to slam him correctly. Unfortunately, I had to slam him on his dome piece.”

As such, Henry Cejudo quickly chimed in on X with, “That was one of the best slams in UFC history! Elijah Smith is a PROBLEM in the bantamweight division. Considering a move back to flyweight after tonight.”

For Cejudo to even hint at shifting divisions after watching that performance speaks volumes. It wasn’t just the knockout that impressed him; it was the implication that Elijah Smith could be a future contender in an already stacked division. And Cejudo’s praise carries weight; this is a man who’s seen it all and beaten the best in his time as a ‘champ-champ’!

Now, Elijah Smith’s win moves him to two straight victories in the UFC, and he even shouted out ‘Rampage’ Jackson after the win, acknowledging the lineage of such rare and devastating knockouts. However, the highlight reel moment also led to a lot of backlash for the referee in charge of the fight for his failure to protect Toshiomi Kazama from what followed after the slam.

Elijah Smith draws high praise from Henry Cejudo as the referee for his UFC Vegas 109 highlight comes under fire

Chris Tognoni has been in the Octagon for countless bouts, but at UFC Vegas 109, his split-second hesitation made him part of the story and not in a good way. He was right there when Elijah Smith drove Toshiomi Kazama headfirst into the canvas, the kind of knockout that instantly ends a fight. Kazama lay motionless, clearly unconscious. Yet, instead of immediately diving in, Tognoni moved slightly to the side.

That small step gave Smith just enough space to land two more crushing punches on an already defenseless opponent. It took those extra shots before the referee finally waved off the fight. For viewers at home, it was jarring. For those inside the UFC Apex, it was uncomfortable.

As such, Daniel Cormier didn’t hold back during the commentary as he exclaimed, “Jesus Christ, referee, what are you doing?”. His partner on the mic,  Dominick Cruz, chimed in with a measured but pointed observation, “Yeah, the ref kind of missed that one.”

Slow-motion replays didn’t help Tognoni’s case either. Each frame showed just how unconscious Kazama was after impact, and how exposed he was in those final seconds before the stoppage.

And the fans were quick to voice their frustration online, too. “Vicious. Also, wtf ref. You had one job,” wrote one X user, capturing the outrage in blunt terms. Another was even more direct with, “The ref needs to be fired smh.” A third fan summed up the consensus as they wrote, “Where’s the ref at??? Wtf those follow up shots could have been avoided.”

In the aftermath, Elijah Smith walks away with a career-defining win and a viral highlight that will follow him for the rest of his career. Kazama, fortunately, is reportedly recovering, but the questions about fighter safety and referee decision-making won’t disappear so quickly.

As for Henry Cejudo, the night was a reminder that the bantamweight division is evolving fast and perhaps more dangerous than ever. One slam, two punches, and a few seconds of hesitation turned UFC Vegas 109 into both a celebration of raw talent and a cautionary tale about the thin line between triumph and danger inside the Octagon.