There are countless sports around the world and the most important day for any athlete is his debut in that sport. However, nothing can be compared to making debuts in combat sports, especially MMA. The day is very crucial, as it is time for them to finally show their abilities and the skills they learned from the years of training. In this article, we will take a look at some of the best debuts in UFC history.
10) Chan Sung Jung
Before making his UFC debut, Chan Sung Jung had notable wins in several promotions, including a brief tenure in the WEC, where he suffered a loss in his first match against Leonard Garcia. However, “The Korean Zombie” was quick to challenge Garcia again, this time at UFC Fight Night, where he took the fight to the ground and locked his opponent in a rare submission. Jung not only introduced the UFC crowd to the twister submission lock but also showed his notable skills.
9) Alex Pereira
There was huge excitement surrounding Alex Pereira’s UFC debut because he was already an incredible kickboxer with a notable record and also had a win over Israel Adesanya in kickboxing. There were a lot of questions about his ability to face top MMA fighters in the promotion. The Brazilian didn’t disappoint and delivered a stunning debut at UFC 268. In round two of the bout, Pereira landed a devastating flying knee that stunned Andreas Michailidis. “Poatan” got the TKO win and eventually made a rapid rise in the promotion. He is the current UFC Light Heavyweight Champion.
8) Stephen Thompson
Before making his UFC debut, Stephen Thompson already had an undefeated 20-0 record in kickboxing and a 5-0 record in MMA. The “Wonderboy” entered the UFC octagon at UFC 143 and with his unique karate style, he ended his opponent Dan Stittgen in the very first round with a right-high kick on his shoulder that knocked him out.
7) Alistair Overeem
Alistair Overeem already had a stunning and long MMA career before debuting in the UFC. He worked in various promotions like Rings, PRIDE and K-1. Overeem faced Brock Lesnar in his UFC debut, who was already a former UFC champion. “The Beast” was definitely a test for debutant Overeem, but “The Demolition Man” dominated the fight from the start and scored the TKO win.
6) Jiri Prochazka
Jiri Prochazka had already made a great name in RIZIN before debuting in the UFC. However, while going for his debut in the promotion, the Czech fighter didn’t get much hype. But it was a perfect time for him, as this was the first major UFC event since the pandemic. Prochazka faced Volkan Oezdemir at UFC 251 and displayed his uncommon fighting style. In the second round of the fight, Prochazka earned a knockout win with a dominating punch.
5) Conor McGregor
When Conor McGregor made his UFC debut in 2013, no one would have thought that he was going to change the sport and the promotion forever. At UFC on Fuel TV, the Irishman put up a brilliant performance against Marcus Brimage and attacked him with heavy kicks to his body and uppercuts from a distance. The match was finished in the very first round as McGregor scored a TKO win.
4) Forrest Griffin
Forrest Griffin had a 9-2 record in professional MMA before making his debut in the UFC. Griffin faced Stephan Bonnar at the finale of the first season of The Ultimate Fighter Finale. The fight saw brutal moves from both fighters and till the end, the audience was unsure who was going to win the fight. Eventually, it was Griffin whose hand was raised and he got the win via unanimous decision.
3) Justin Gaethje
Justin Gaethje was a dominant World Series of Fighting champion before making his debut in the UFC. The promotion chose Michael Johnson to be Gaethje’s debut opponent. Johnson was too confident during the lead-up of the fight and underestimated Gaethje’s skills. When the fight began, both fighters started hurting each other badly and it looked like the bout was going to end soon. After a 10-minute slugfest, “The Highlight” smashed heavy punches and knees that were too much to handle, eventually Gaethje got the TKO win.
2) Anderson Silva
After fighting in promotions like PRIDE and Cage Rage, Anderson Silva made his debut at UFC Fight Night 5. He was matched up against one of the strongest competitors, Chris Leben, who was on a five-fight winning streak. “The Spider” didn’t even take a full minute of the first round to finish the fight as his devastating knee kick ended Leben. This debut win earned Silva a title shot as well.
1) Michael Chandler
This could be surprising for many MMA fans, but Michael Chandler faced a lot of criticism for his successful career before the UFC. He was a World Champion in Bellator, and had a great fanbase, but he wanted to fulfill his dream of becoming a UFC star. Chandler finally made his debut at UFC 257 and faced Dan Hooker. Michael Chandler scored a KO victory in the first round and delivered a stunning promo on the mic.
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