5 UFC fighters who won over the crowd on their debuts
For a fighter, debuting in the UFC is never easy. There is a ton of pressure to succeed in the world’s biggest MMA promotion. It’s also likely that any debutant will be making a huge step up in competition too.
While debuting in the UFC is always tough, some fighters have been able to win over the crowd, and not always by winning their fight.
Of course, a win – particularly when it comes in highlight reel fashion – is always more likely to win over the UFC fanbase. However, the same fans also value heart and toughness, making it possible to win the hearts of the fans with a loss too.
With this in mind, here are five UFC fighters who won over the crowd on their debuts.
#5. Kris Moutinho – vs. Sean O’Malley, UFC 264
When the UFC announced that Louis Smolka had been ruled out of his fight with Sean O’Malley at UFC 264, fans were intrigued as to who would replace him.
There was no shortage of volunteers. O’Malley had quickly become one of the most talked-about fighters in the bantamweight division, but still seemed like a beatable opponent to many. However, fans were left scratching their heads when the UFC announced that newcomer Kris Moutinho would be taking the assignment.
Not only was Moutinho a complete unknown, but his 9-4 record didn’t look that impressive. On paper at least, it looked like the UFC had handed O’Malley a total softball.
However, while ‘Sugar' eventually put the newcomer away, it didn’t come easily. It was clear from the off that Moutinho was outgunned and had no answer for O’Malley’s sharp striking. That didn’t stop him from marching forward throughout the fight, however.
Incredibly, the debutant’s chin turned out to be remarkably great, too. Moutinho ended up eating a total of 230 significant strikes during the fight, landing just 70 in return. Despite that, he was only knocked down once, and even the referee’s stoppage came with him still standing.
Moutinho didn’t win his UFC debut – in fact, he didn’t really come close. However, with his remarkable display of heart and toughness in the face of adversity, he completely won over the crowd in Las Vegas. It was to the point where the fans were more enamored by him than O’Malley.