Gandra floors Reese in 64 seconds at UFC 329 after studying opponent until he felt 'small'

Ryan Gandra extended his remarkable finishing streak with a 64-second knockout of Zachary Reese in their middleweight bout at UFC 329 in Las Vegas on July 11, dropping the 6‘3” American with a left hand before referee Mike Beltran waved it off — a stoppage Reese disputed as premature.

The Brazilian, now 10-1, has ended both of his UFC fights inside the first round, accumulating a combined Octagon time of less than two minutes. Eight of his ten career victories have come by stoppage, and Saturday’s performance was as clinical as any of them.

Gandra credited exhaustive film study for making the physically larger Reese feel manageable from the opening bell. “It felt automatic. We did so much work. We studied him. We got ready for this fight as if it was the only thing to worry about in the world,” he said in a post-fight interview. “I felt him small. I know he is a huge guy, but I felt him small. Why? Because it felt automatic. Because I knew him so well and I was ready for it. That’s the fruit of a lot of work, a lot of study, and a job well done.”

The nickname “Problema” is proving apt. Gandra’s preparation was thorough enough that a fighter who stands two inches taller than him offered little in the way of surprises, and the fight unfolded almost exactly as he had mapped it out.

For Reese, the defeat extends a difficult run. The American is now 4-4 in the UFC since his promotional debut in 2023 and has lost back-to-back fights, leaving him in need of a response if he is to solidify his place on the roster.

Gandra, meanwhile, has announced himself as one of the more compelling prospects in the middleweight division. With a finishing rate that few fighters at any level can match and a methodical approach to preparation that belies his relatively short career, the Brazilian will be an uncomfortable draw for anyone in the 185-pound bracket.