Overview
- Kody Steele defeated Noah Gugnon by first-round knockout at UFC 333 in Abu Dhabi, ending the fight at 3:54 of Round 1 on Saturday, Oct. 24, 2026.
- The finish came when Steele landed a devastating right hand after a wild exchange that dropped Gugnon and forced the referee to stop the bout.
- Steele improved his record to 9-1 and has now finished six of his past seven opponents, a run that has raised his standing inside the promotion.
- Noah Gugnon’s six-fight winning streak was snapped by the loss; he entered the fight with a 10-2 record and had been riding momentum into the Octagon.
- After the win Steele publicly asked for a $100,000 performance bonus, a discretionary UFC award that can increase a fighter’s visibility and speed future matchmaking, and his Contender Series background helps explain the attention his finish is drawing.