UFC Vegas 108 may not have carried a pay-per-view price tag, but it packed the punch of a blockbuster. Hosted inside the freshly renovated, $20 million UFC Apex in Las Vegas, the event delivered 12 action-packed bouts that had fans locked in from start to finish. The main event brought the fireworks as expected. But it was the lightweight war between Chris Duncan and Mateusz Rebecki that stole the show and left the MMA world buzzing.

From the very first bell, ‘The Problem’ and Rebecki engaged in a relentless, high-impact brawl. Both men traded brutal shots that caused visible damage — including swelling and deep cuts — as they stayed in the pocket and refused to back down. The pace didn’t let up for a second, and by the time the final horn sounded, the crowd knew they had just witnessed something special.

In the end, Chris Duncan emerged victorious via unanimous decision. The win earned both men a $50,000 Fight of the Night bonus and, more importantly, cemented their clash as one of the most unforgettable moments in recent Dana White & Co. history. But for legendary referee ‘Big’ John McCarthy, this wasn’t just another banger — it was a potential classic. Speaking on his ‘Weighing In’ podcast alongside co-host Josh Thomson, McCarthy was full of praise for both men and compared Mateusz Rebecki to a “tank” due to his sheer power.

McCarthy said, “You can sit there and call it one of the fights of the night. I’m going to call it a candidate for Fight of the Year.” Josh added, “It was that good.” Big John continued: “It was that competitive. It showed heart by both guys. It showed b–ls by both guys. I mean, it showed the way that — when you’re looking at this and you’re seeing Chris Duncan throwing elbows the way he was throwing them and the timing that he was throwing them at — it was beautiful. It was like watching an artist at times, because that’s not an easy thing to do as far as timing.”

Both Chris Duncan and Mateusz Rebecki walked away from this war looking like emerging forces in the UFC’s stacked lightweight division. Despite falling short, ‘Rebeasti’ now holds an impressive 20-3 record, with both of his career losses coming inside the UFC Octagon — leaving him 1-2 in his last three outings.

On the other side, Chris Duncan improved to 14-2 and continues to build momentum with a solid three-fight win streak, making a strong case for a top-15 opportunity in the near future. However, the journey leading up to this has not been easy.

Chris Duncan speaks candidly about childhood pain after UFC Vegas 108

Chris Duncan has been fighting professionally since 2017, beginning his MMA journey in his native Scotland. It wasn’t until he joined the UK-based Unity promotion that his career truly took off. From there, ‘The Problem’ transitioned to the U.S. scene via Bellator and is now making noise in the UFC.

Long before he stepped into the spotlight, Chris Duncan lived a very different life. The Scottish lightweight once worked as a shepherd in the Highlands, spending his days among animals and open fields. But a deep personal loss set him on a new path—his mother passed away when he was just a child, a tragedy that pushed him to pursue MMA with a different kind of purpose.

After his win at UFC Vegas 108, Chris Duncan opened up about the pain he’s carried for years in a raw post-fight moment with UFC commentator Michael Bisping. “You can’t beat who won’t quit,” ‘The Problem’ responded. “I don’t quit. I’ve been through everything. You wouldn’t understand what I’ve been through as a young child. See this? Pain? This is nothing. What I went through as a youngster is pain. I feel it every day. I cry on my own. You see this here (points to face), this is nothing, this is superficial.”

With his grit, emotional honesty, and steady rise in the lightweight ranks, what do you think lies ahead for Chris Duncan? Does the Scottish fighter have what it takes to become a true contender—or even a kingpin—in the division? Share your thoughts below.