Las Vegas got a finish worth replaying frame by frame. Under the Xtreme Fighting Championships banner, BORROKA Presents XFC 53 delivered a moment that will live on highlight reels: Darkhanbek Ergeshev flipping the script on former PFL champ Ray Cooper III in their featured clash, Ergeshev vs. Cooper III.
Ergeshev vs. Cooper III — from brink of defeat to instant tap
DATE: September 20, 2025 — LOCATION: Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
Cooper III looked moments away from closing the show. He cinched a tight arm-triangle, flattening Ergeshev and forcing desperate defense. Most fighters wilt there. Ergeshev didn’t. He found air, created a sliver of space, and the whole fight flipped in a heartbeat—transitioning from survival to offense with ruthless calm.
Absurd comeback by Darkhanbek Ergeshov
— caposa (@Grabaka_Hitman) September 21, 2025
Survives a dangerously close arm triangle by Ray Cooper III only to IMMEDIATELY turn the tables and sink a choke of his own. Insane sequence #XFC53 pic.twitter.com/foUNXZMLdH
The scramble said everything about composure under fire. Ergeshev reversed position, threaded the choke, and got the tap—seconds after surviving a fight-ending squeeze. It’s the kind of whiplash that makes arenas gasp and timelines explode.
Why this comeback lands differently
- Threat level: Cooper III’s arm-triangle was deep. Escaping that position—let alone finishing immediately after—is rare at any level.
- Decision-making: Ergeshev didn’t just survive; he made the perfect read in transition, turning defense into a match-ending choke.
- Stage & stakes: On a night built for moments at XFC 53, this was the moment.
Event context — BORROKA Presents XFC 53
If you’re catching up, start with the official event hub: BORROKA Presents XFC 53. For deeper fighter snapshots, hit the profiles for Darkhanbek Ergeshev and Ray Cooper III, then revisit the bout page for round-by-round context: Ergeshev vs. Cooper III. It’s all part of the evolving picture inside the XFC ecosystem.
What’s next?
Comebacks like this change matchmaker math. Ergeshev leaves Las Vegas with a statement win, while Cooper III remains a dangerous assignment for anyone. Keep an eye on the event page for post-fight notes and what this means for both men at Xtreme Fighting Championships.
