Sherdog’s 2024 Round of the Year

While there was plenty of spectacle outside at UFC 306 due to the Sphere’s incredible display, lightweights Esteban Ribovics and Daniel Zellhuber made sure what happened inside the Octagon was just as memorable by putting on the best round of mixed martial arts in 2024.

Argentina’s Ribovics and Mexico’s Zellhuber were a welcome addition to the UFC 306 main card on Sept. 14 in Las Vegas, but with two title fights atop the card, very few would have pointed to it being their most anticipated clash. However, both men put on a spectacular showing in a back-and-forth battle that started off great and ended in dramatic fashion, with Zellhuber knocking down his opponent with a brutal elbow and Ribovics showing tremendous heart by getting back up and smashing “Golden Boy” with a right hand. Neither man gave up throughout a hectic final five minutes, but the comeback performance by Ribovics allowed him to decidedly win Sherdog’s “Round of the Year” in a fight that was very much up in the air.

The fact that Ribovics-Zellhuber was an instant classic was apparent in the moment, as Sherdog’s Jay Pettry noted while he wonderfully described the round as it happened:

The lightweights are instantly active, somehow swinging even harder than the last two rounds. Zellhuber lands cleanly. Ribovics spins with a backfist, and Zellhuber pays him back with a sharp elbow. Zellhuber stings his opponent with a right hand, only for Ribovics to do the same. Zellhuber lashes out with an elbow as Ribovics races towards him, and it sends him collapsing to the canvas. Before Zellhuber can pounce, Ribovics explodes back to his feet. Zellhuber punches and a thumb jabs into his foe’s eye, and referee Jason Herzog has to call time and give “Golden Boy” a stern warning. When they restart, Zellhuber is warned again, and he uses long, straight punches to keep Ribovics back and far away. Ribovics positively explodes, out of rage or frustration or something else, and he smashes Zellhuber in the face with a ferocious right hand. Ribovics races at his damaged fighter and batters him with a prolonged exchange of punches to the head and body. Zellhuber sways and moves, keeping his guard up and dodging a number of the strikes. Zellhuber somehow stays in the fight as Ribovics is pounding on him, and Herzog asks him to do more so he answers with an occasional counter and more movement. Zellhuber keeps moving, stumbling over and getting to his feet, and he leans against the fence. Rather than get tagged freely, Zellhuber starts responding. Short counters turn into heavier ones, and suddenly, Zellhuber is recovered as he busts Ribovics up. Even when Ribovics lands, something has taken the Mexican fighter over from the inside, as Zellhuber stings him with a flurry of his own strikes. Ribovics hurts Zellhuber again, forcing him to shoot for a takedown. Ribovics stuffs it and lets Zellhuber have it with power punches. Zellhuber tries to strike back, but Ribovics is in his element, walking through or dodging the blows by a matter of millimeters and firing back with massive power. Without having to point at the ground to signal something, the two lightweights give it everything they have left with an absolutely sensational brawl as time ticks away. They both eat clean strikes, land back and continue without budging an inch. Incredible. Absolutely incredible. The two gladiators fight right to the bitter end, and they remarkably made it to the final bell. In the span of 15 torrid minutes, these two 155ers put in instant contenders for “Round of the Year” with this round and “Fight of the Year” for the overall tussle.

It was even more clear to those in the Sphere that they had just witnessed a historic moment in combat sports. Ultimate Fighting Championship commentator Joe Rogan is often prone to hyperbole, but nobody argued after he called it “maybe the best round in history.” The late rally from “El Gringo” in the final round secured a split decision win, with all three judges giving him Round 3. Eric Colon and Chris Lee both gave the fight to him with 29-28 scorecards, while Sal D’Amato felt Zellhuber had done enough to win the first two rounds. It was a close, hard-fought win and one that will stick with fans forever as a result.

Ribovics took pride in the victory, which improved him to 14-1 as a professional and extended his winning streak to three fights. “Listen, I thought that he could finish the fight. I felt like he could’ve knocked me out at that time. I was able to get up,” said Ribovics in his post-fight interview, pointing to his nearly getting finished in the final round before rallying back. “I was feeling a lot of pain, too. Those kicks to my arm were hurting a lot. I felt the pain, but there’s nothing as my body doesn’t matter. If my heart wants it, I’m going to continue on.”