Julian Erosa knocked out JeongYeong Lee in the first round of their featherweight bout at the Meta APEX on October 31, 2026, securing a $100,000 performance bonus to cap his career with a retirement victory.
The 37-year-old featherweight entered his final Octagon appearance under immense pressure following back-to-back defeats against Melquizael Costa and Lerryan Douglas. Facing South Korea’s JeongYeong Lee at UFC Vegas 123 in Las Vegas, Erosa survived an early scare when a heavy right hand from Lee dropped him to the canvas just moments after the opening bell. The 30-year-old Lee, who stands 5’10 and weighs 145 lbs with an orthodox stance and a 73-inch reach, came out aggressively after entering with the Korean national flag around his neck. Erosa, standing 6’1 and weighing 145 lbs as a southpaw with a 74-inch reach, had to weather the early blitz from the fighter known as the “Korean Tiger.” Erosa’s professional record shifted to 32-13, while Lee’s record moved to 11-4 with a 1-3 mark in the UFC.
Instead of yielding to the same fate that befell other veterans who walked away on losing streaks, Erosa recovered his footing, worked his way back up, and traded punches before landing a clean right hand that put Lee down for good at 1:31 of the first round. The victory provided a fitting final performance for the American veteran, who was joined inside the cage by his wife and young child for an emotional celebration.
Family Priorities and the Decision to Retire
The decision to hang up the gloves came down to life outside the cage. Having participated on Season 22 of The Ultimate Fighter, Erosa compiled notable career victories over Darren Elkins, Christian Rodriguez, and Ricardo Ramos.
OH MY GOODNESS 🤯Julian Erosa just flipped the script and knocked out JeongYeong Lee![ #UFCVegas123 | LIVE NOW on @ParamountPlus ] pic.twitter.com/h54aXqEyBO
When I had my son, my priorities switched around. Fighting was everything to me, then I had my son, and he’s now everything to me. Fighting was always going to be there, but he’s not always going to be there. I want to be in his life as long as possible with as many brain cells as I have so I can see his kids grow up.
UFC Hall
Speaking to reporters before the event, Erosa noted that watching veteran Darren Elkins fight through his later career stages cemented his resolve to bow out on his own terms rather than letting the sport force him out. The American finishes his career with a 32-14 professional record and a 10-9 mark inside the promotion across 19 UFC fights.
Halloween Night Bonus Winners at the Meta APEX
The promotion rewarded the card’s standout finishes with substantial post-fight checks. Alongside Erosa’s retirement bonus, the organization handed out three additional $100,000 Performance of the Night awards and two $25,000 finish bonuses.
| Fighter | Opponent | Method | Bonus |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tom Nolan | Renato Moicano | TKO (Round 3) | $100,000 |
| Julian Erosa | JeongYeong Lee | KO (Round 1) | $100,000 |
| Joe Kropschot | Nick Klein | Submission (Round 2) | $100,000 |
| Lucia Szabova | Tainara Lisboa | TKO (Round 3) | $100,000 |
| Jean-Paul Lebosnoyani | Farman Hasanov | Doctor Stoppage (Round 3) | $25,000 |
| Rodrigo Sezinando | Theodor Berggren | Doctor Stoppage (Round 2) | $25,000 |
In the main event, Tom Nolan secured his sixth straight victory by stopping Renato Moicano in the third round. Nolan moved his record to 12-1 MMA and 6-1 in the UFC, while Moicano stood at 21-8 MMA and 13-8 in the promotion. Other main card action featured middleweight debutant Joe Kropschot submitting Nick Klein with a triangle armbar in the second round, and Lucia Szabova defeating Tainara Lisboa via third-round TKO in her promotional debut. Meanwhile, Jean-Paul Lebosnoyani earned a $25,000 finish bonus by stopping Farman Hasanov via doctor stoppage in the third round, and Rodrigo Sezinando collected a $25,000 check after his elbow opened a gaping cut on Theodor Berggren’s upper lip, prompting a second-round doctor stoppage.
JeongYeong Lee and the Road Ahead for Preliminary Competitors
For JeongYeong Lee, the defeat marks a difficult slide. Lee holds an overall mixed martial arts record of 11 wins and 4 losses.
Lee entered the matchup acknowledging the veteran status of his opponent but confident in his own speed. Erosa is looking toward retirement now, but I still have further to climb. I’m faster and I hit harder,
Lee said prior to the bout.
Instead, the loss leaves the 30-year-old fighter searching for answers as the promotion moves past its penultimate Fight Night at the Meta APEX and looks toward upcoming events including UFC 334 at Madison Square Garden, where heavyweight champion Ciryl Gane defends his title against Josh Hokit and Amanda Nunes returns to face Kayla Harrison.
Keep reading
