Dominick Reyes secured a decisive victory over Nikita Krylov in their light heavyweight clash at UFC 314 on Saturday, swiftly adding a moment of tribute for President Donald Trump to his accomplishment.
The fight concluded abruptly with approximately two minutes remaining in the initial round. Krylov, attempting a jab while leaning aggressively forward, left himself vulnerable. Reyes responded with a sharp left hook that sent Krylov sprawling. Reyes quickly transitioned, establishing ground control and delivering impactful strikes before the referee intervened to halt the contest.
Reyes’ triumph marked his third consecutive win, following knockouts of Dustin Jacoby last June and Anthony Smith in December. This winning streak served as a remarkable turnaround after a previous four-fight skid against formidable opponents including Jon Jones, Jan Blachowicz, Jiri Prochazka, and Ryan Spann.
Visibly emotional following the victory, Reyes expressed his gratitude. “It sucked,” he admitted, wiping away tears, “but my faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, my faith in myself and my family, it kept me grounded, it kept me here. I’m still here fighting. Anything that’s going on in your life, guys, just keep fighting. Never give up. You go down, get up again. Just keep going. There are brighter days ahead. Jesus has your back.”
In a gesture of respect and admiration, Reyes immediately sought out Trump, who was observing the event alongside Dana White, Elon Musk, and other attendees near the cage. Reyes pointed toward the president and offered a respectful bow.
Later, in his post-fight interview, Reyes described the experience as a “dream come true.” “I got to represent America in front of my president,” he stated via MMA Junkie. “He was rooting for me and then he told me how proud of me he is that I’m representing the country. Since I was a small child, I always wanted to meet the president. It’s always kind of been something I wanted, and I finally got to do it as an athlete, and it goes down as another night I’ll remember for the rest of my life.”
The Kaseya Center erupted in enthusiastic support as President Trump entered the arena.
Reflecting on the reception, Trump commented, “Somewhat legendary,” he said. “It was legendary. It’s a great honor to have that kind of ovation, really because it says we’re doing a good job. If we weren’t doing a good job, we’d get the opposite.”
- Reyes’ recent win streak:
- Knocked out Dustin Jacoby (June)
- Knocked out Anthony Smith (December)
