Niko Price Comes Out of Retirement and Flattens Leon Shahbazyan at UFC Vegas 122

Niko Price proved retirement does not suit everybody.

The welterweight veteran stormed back into the Octagon at UFC Vegas 122 on Saturday night and demolished rising prospect Leon Shahbazyan with a first-round TKO at the META APEX in Las Vegas. Price, who had walked away from the sport after a submission loss, left zero doubt about whether the layoff had dulled his power.

Price came out swinging from the opening bell and overwhelmed Shahbazyan with heavy punches until the referee had seen enough. The finish came in the first round, a statement win that silenced anyone who thought the veteran had nothing left in the tank, per MMA Mania.

Shahbazyan entered the fight as a young welterweight prospect looking to build on his early momentum, but Price treated him like a speed bump. The knockout power that made Price one of the most exciting fighters on the UFC roster never went anywhere.

The comeback itself is the story. Price laid his gloves down after a tough loss, walked away, and then decided he was not done. Coming back against a hungry young fighter is a gamble. Pulling it off with a first-round knockout is something else entirely. Price remains one of the most dangerous punchers in the welterweight division, and Saturday proved he still has plenty left.