Issue 157

August 2017

‘Lil’ Heathen’ unleashes an unstoppable uppercut Milestone

One punch can change your life. For Jeremy Stephens, it was a devastating right hand that set him up for a long career in the Octagon. Heading into his November 2008 fight with future lightweight champion Rafael dos Anjos at UFC 91, ‘L’il Heathen’ boasted a 2-2 UFC record. Another loss might have meant his walking papers. Matchmakers had a no-mercy attitude back then.

His prospects didn’t look good when he dropped the first round. Many people thought ‘RDA’ took the second one too, so it really was make or break time. Luckily for Stephens, he’s never been one to play it safe. He’s a man that will throw caution to the wind, and it got him the result 39 seconds into the final frame…

Step 1

A powerful overhand right is blocked by dos Anjos, but he’s forced to take a step back. He takes a breath and leaves a gap in his guard that’s big enough for a punch to get through.

Step 2

Stephens unleashes a howitzer from somewhere near his grandma’s house, landing square on his opponent’s chin. His eyes roll into the back of his head as drool flies from his mouth.

Step 3

Dos Anjos topples over and tries to recover, but Stephens pounces on him and finishes him off with even more brutal punches. He then runs head-first into the cage in celebration.

Milestone

A $60,000 ‘Knockout of the Night’ bonus was huge. “I think people noticed me a lot more then. Getting that bonus changed my life and the way my career was headed,” Stephens said. “We had our first daughter around that time. I bought her a baby crib and all the baby stuff that we needed with that bonus!”