Thiago Moises Aims for Knockout Victory at UFC Vegas 101

Thiago Moises, a Brazilian lightweight fighter, is determined to start 2025 with a bang as he prepares to face Trey Ogden at UFC Vegas 101 on Jan. 11. Moises, who missed holiday celebrations to focus on his training camp, is eyeing a stoppage victory to make his sacrifices worthwhile.

Moises, a product of American Top Team, revealed that he was initially offered a fight in November but had to wait until January due to scheduling conflicts. “I asked for another opponent [in November] and then tried to get [Ogden] to fight in December, but I don’t know why Trey couldn’t either,” Moises told MMA Fighting. “I’d much rather fight in November or December so I could enjoy Christmas and New Years’ Eve, but they ended up booking this for January.”

Instead of indulging in holiday feasts, Moises spent the final weeks of 2024 cutting weight, a process he described as one of the toughest parts of the job. “I think it would be way better if we weren’t cutting weight, if we just went there and fought, and we would be able to fight a lot more often and the fights would be better,” he said. Despite the challenges, Moises remains confident in his ability to compete at lightweight, ruling out a move to welterweight due to his size.

Moises enters the fight with a record of 18-8, including four knockouts, while Ogden boasts an undefeated streak in his last three UFC appearances. Ogden, who has never been stopped by strikes in his 25-fight career, presents a formidable challenge. However, Moises believes he has identified weaknesses in Ogden’s striking. “I see myself winning this fight by knockout,” Moises said. “He has a lot of holes in the striking, and we’ve trained hard to explore those holes in this fight.”

The fight marks the UFC’s first event of 2025 and will take place at the UFC APEX in Las Vegas. Moises, who has struggled to build momentum since a loss to future champion Islam Makhachev in 2021, is eager to return to the win column after a defeat to Joel Alvarez in June. Ogden, on the other hand, is riding high after decision victories over Ignacio Bahamondes and Jordan Leavitt in 2024.

Fans and analysts are split on the outcome, with some favoring Moises’ experience and others backing Ogden’s recent form. Regardless of the result, the lightweight clash promises to deliver fireworks as both fighters look to make a statement in the new year.