Niko Price’s first-round blitz flips UFC Vegas 122 — but not his long-term betting profile

Niko Price did not treat his expected farewell as an exhibition. He attacked Leon Shahbazyan immediately, forced the fight through striking and grappling phases, and ended UFC Vegas 122 with a first-round stoppage.

Cageside Press reported that Price scored multiple takedowns, escaped a guillotine threat and finished with ground strikes at 1:58 of Round 1. The victory mattered at the betting window: Price was available from +118 to +123 across the tracked books, while Shahbazyan carried prices between -140 and -152.

The upset ended Price’s four-fight losing streak and gave him his first victory since that run began. It also created a more complicated takeaway than the result alone suggests. Price won by making the bout chaotic immediately, not by demonstrating a lower-variance style that bettors can safely carry into another matchup.

Price changed the fight before Shahbazyan could settle

The operative detail was not simply that Price came forward. He connected his pressure to takedown attempts and top-position offense, preventing Shahbazyan from dealing with one stable phase for long.

That sequence matters mechanically. A pure striking rush can leave an aggressive fighter exposed after the first exchange. Price instead used punches to close distance, moved into takedowns, survived the guillotine response and resumed damaging offense from above. Shahbazyan had to process entries, defensive grappling and ground strikes within the opening two minutes. He never established the kind of separation that could have slowed the fight.

Price’s broader numbers show why that route was notable. He entered with 1.06 takedowns landed per 15 minutes and 30% takedown accuracy. Across 22 archived bouts and 42 rounds, he had completed 12 takedowns and accumulated 27 minutes of control. Wrestling has been part of his offense, but sustained control has not defined his career.