"Can’t beat a filthy left hook" - Fans blown away by Brahyan Zurcher's violent knockout victory at PFL Salt Lake City 

PFL 5 has flown under the radar on June 21 but got their night started with a bang. In the first fight of the night, Brahyan Zurcher got the attention of all MMA fans with a vicious left-hook knockout in the second round.

As two undefeated prospects, Zurcher and Ruiz engaged in a competitive bout for as long as it lasted. Zurcher began the night as a significantly sized favorite but could not pull away from his American counterpart until landing the devastating fight-ending in the middle of the second round.

Despite his unknown status before the fight, Zurcher caused thousands of fans to react to his performance on social media.

One fan complimented the featherweight's left hook, commenting:

"Can't beat a filthy left hook"

Other comments read:

"This reminds me of Condit's knockout of Hardy at UFC 120"

"When you reach behind the computer and unplug. Lights out"

"RIP"

View more fan reactions to Brahyan Zurcher's knockout below:

Fans reacting to Brahyan Zurcher knocking out Julian Ruiz at PFL 5. [Image courtesy: @arielhelwani on X]

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Did Brahyan Zurcher qualify for the 2024 PFL playoffs?

Brahyan Zurcher almost certainly solidified the best performance of the night in the opening fight of PFL 5 but will not be a part of the promotion's $1 million playoff tournament. Although he was competing in one of the event cards, Zurcher was not a part of the 2024 PFL season.

However, with his show-stopping performance shaking up MMA Twitter as the highlight of the day, Zurcher could find himself as a part of the 2025 season as a featherweight.

As a 28-year-old prospect, Zurcher improved to 9-0 with his knockout of Ruiz. The win was his fifth overall victory in the PFL smart cage as he has been competing on and off with the promotion since 2022 but has never been a part of the $1 million tournament.