It looked like a straightforward victory. A technical submission in the first round, another highlight on the reel, and yet another devastating reminder that if Ramiz Brahimaj has your neck, he will keep it. But underlying the dominance and clean finish was a truth that few spectators could have guessed. The man who had just put Billy Ray Goff to sleep in under four minutes wasn’t just looking for a win. He was fighting for something considerably more personal: the right to be here.
Because for Brahimaj, this was more than just another Saturday night under the lights. It was a vindication. Not long ago, the UFC welterweight had secretly considered leaving the sport completely. A neck injury that almost forced him to retire before he had a chance to excel. Fans had not seen it. Most of them had not heard.
However, this was not a man who had merely worked hard; rather, he had clawed his way back from the brink. And when Daniel Cormier handed him the microphone following the victory and asked how it felt to finally believe in himself again, the floodgates opened. “I feel like I’m home, DC,” Ramiz Brahimaj said, his eyes wide with disbelief.
He continued. “I battled through a lot of mental barriers, injuries, and changes. I was going to hang these gloves up two years ago when I had a nasty neck injury.” Such was the condition of his neck that he confessed that it was hard for him to even do simple stuff. “I couldn’t even pull a 5 lb band down. But some words, they resonate with you, and I know it’s God pushing me towards this journey. So I’m here.”
The fight itself was classic Brahimaj—except that the stakes were raised at the last minute. Originally scheduled to fight Oban Elliott, a visa snag forced Billy Ray Goff to fill in with only a few days to spare. Goff attempted to dictate the pace, even challenging Brahimaj with his own grappling. But Ramiz Brahimaj caught a ninja choke in transition, tightened it into a standing guillotine, and refused to let go. Goff passed out before he reached the canvas. The referee waved it off at 3:16 in round one.
2 years ago, Ramiz Brahimaj had a devastating spinal injury that easily could have ended his career.
He is now on a 2 fight win streak, all via finishes. pic.twitter.com/cLwYlLNAWc
— Kenny B #3Wins3KOs (@KennyBalii) June 1, 2025
It was Brahimaj’s second straight finish, following a knockout win over Mickey Gall, and his twelfth career victory. But it wasn’t the number that mattered on Saturday night. It was the story behind the performance. The injuries. The doubt. The moment with Cormier. “This means everything to me, DC — to be interviewed by you,” he stated. “I’m just in the moment right now. I’m grateful.”
In that moment, the Octagon did not feel like a cage. And trust us when we tell you that this is a fighter who knows how to bounce back, as in his very first UFC fight, he literally sacrificed his body as he lost a good chunk of his ear.
Ramiz Brahimaj’s debut ends with more than a loss on the resume
By the time Ramiz Brahimaj poured his heart out to Daniel Cormier at UFC on ESPN 68, fans were already nodding in approval. But to truly grasp why that moment struck so hard, you’d have to go back nearly five years, to a different cage, a different opponent, and a debut that felt more like a battle zone than a sporting arena. Because when Brahimaj initially entered the UFC in 2020, he left with more than just a loss on his record; he almost left a piece of himself behind.
The piece was the top of his ear. Torn. Hanging. Blood ran down his face and onto Max Griffin’s shoulders, like something out of a horror film. In the third round, Griffin landed a well-timed elbow in the clinch, and Brahimaj’s face twisted not only in pain but also in panic—not because of the injury, but because he thought the ref might stop the fight.
“As soon as it happened, I was trying to get away so that the ref didn’t see me,” he said following the incident. “I just wanted to make it to the end.” That moment—ear nearly severed, attempting to hide it from the official—was not one of despair. It was the definition of grit. And that wasn’t even the first battle he had fought.
Brahimaj was removed from Dana White’s Contender Series prior to his debut because doctors discovered a tumor behind his eye. When he was eventually cleared, his anticipated return was cancelled at the last minute owing to COVID. Every time the door opened, it banged shut again. But here he is. Still moving forward. Still taking the route that attempted to break him.
“No matter what happens, get back up, adjust fire, and Charlie Mike,” he says. Continue the mission. These are not simply words for Ramiz Brahimaj. That’s the code. That’s the fight. Now, what do you think of his latest win? Do you believe he has the capability to make it to the top 10 anytime soon? Let us know in the comments.
The post Almost Retiring After Neck Injury, Ramiz Brahimaj Makes Emotional Confession to Daniel Cormier After UFC on ESPN 68 Win appeared first on EssentiallySports.
