Twenty-two fighters have made their UFC debuts so far in 2020, with 10 of them picking up victories to give their careers on the biggest stage a winning start.
Of those 10 winners, there were five newcomers who stood out as they delivered A-grade performances on their respective debuts. Here, we recap their displays as we look back at the best rookie performances of 2020 so far.
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Daniel Rodriguez
If there’s one thing UFC fans love to see, it’s a fighter who will step in the cage and throw down, even when it’s against someone who has built a winning reputation for doing the same.
That’s exactly what we saw from welterweight Daniel Rodriguez at UFC on ESPN+ 25 in Rio Rancho, N.M., as he went toe-to-toe with Tim Means before eventually finishing “The Dirty Bird” via submission inside two rounds.
Despite facing such well-established, respected opposition, Rodriguez (11-1 MMA, 1-0 UFC) showcased the sort of composure you’d expect to see from a 10-fight UFC veteran, as he outstruck Means, dropped him, and then submitted him with a standing guillotine to cap off an outstanding octagon debut.
What made his performance all the more impressive was the fact that Rodriguez had the deck stacked against him but still prevailed. He was facing a dangerous veteran, in Means’s home state of New Mexico, on just three weeks’ notice. That’s as tough an assignment as you could expect to receive in your UFC debut, yet Rodriguez passed with flying colors.
Next up: A submission specialist delivers a knockout performance.
Herbert Burns
The UFC on ESPN+ 24 card in Raleigh, N.C. featured a quartet of octagon debutants, but it was Herbert Burns whose performance stood out from the pack, as he handed fellow newcomer Nate Landwehr his first loss in five years and proved that he has dangerous striking to back up his top-drawer grappling skills.
Previously, Burns (9-2 MMA, 1-0 UFC) had won all nine of his fights via submission, but he switched things up on his octagon debut, claiming a highlight-reel knockout to kick off his UFC career with a bang.
Burns looked nerveless throughout, as he went after Landwehr and looked close to getting the finish via submission. But after his opponent did well to survive a D’Arce choke, Burns countered Landwehr’s wild striking response with a perfectly-placed knee that finished the fight in spectacular fashion.
Next up: 27 seconds of Khaos.
Khaos Williams
Any time you see a debuting fighter defeat an established veteran, you sit up and take notice. That was certainly the case when Khaos Williams faced Alex Morono at UFC 247.
Morono had lost just twice in the UFC, both by decision, and he went into his fight with Williams with a solid 5-2 record on the sport’s biggest stage. But Williams (10-1 MMA, 1-0 UFC) stepped in determined to make his mark, and it took him less than half a minute to accomplish his goal.
Williams let fly with his strikes from the very start, as he handed Morono the first stoppage defeat of his UFC career, and in the process announced himself as a dangerous newcomer to the UFC’s welterweight division. And he did it all in just 27 seconds.
Next up: “The Alpha Ginger” makes a big first impression.
Spike Carlyle
When you show up for your first UFC bout with a fighting moniker of “The Alpha Ginger,” you know all eyes are going to be on you when you. Thankfully, Spike Carlyle has the character, and the temperament, to deliver.
Carlyle (8-1 MMA, 1-0 UFC) made a big impression in his UFC debut as he danced to the octagon, giggled at Bruce Buffer, then finished fellow debutant Aalon Cruz inside one round to score a big stoppage win at UFC on ESPN+ 27 in Norfolk, Va.
Carlyle showed smart takedown defense, then impressive striking power, as he found the target with some punishing elbows from close range that set up a ground-and-pound finish, with the bout stopped as he rained down a shower of powerful punches.
It took a grand total of 85 seconds for Carlyle to show his defensive and offensive skills, as he grabbed an impressive first win as a UFC fighter. With an eye-catching nickname, a quirky personality, and a fighting style that is clearly capable of fast finishes, “The Alpha Ginger” is certainly one to keep an eye on when he gets his next assignment.
Next up: A bantamweight crowd-pleaser makes his mark.
Kyler Phillips
Another impressive debut performer on the UFC on ESPN+ 27 card in Norfolk was Kyler Phillips, who needed all three rounds and the judges’ scorecards to get the win against Gabriel Silva, but over the course of his first 15 minutes as a UFC fighter, he showed the skills that could see him make a real impact at 135 pounds once the UFC schedule gets rolling again.
Phillips (7-1 MMA, 1-0 UFC) won all three rounds on all three of the judges’ scorecards to claim a shutout win, but it was the manner of his display that left a lasting impression, as he showcased the fight IQ required to secure a clear win against a gritty, durable opponent.
Spinning strikes, slick counters and solid grappling were all on display as Phillips held the upper hand throughout an entertaining three-round scrap that saw both men earn $50,000 “Fight of the Night” bonus checks.
But it was Phillips whose performance shone through, displaying the tools needed to become a real prospect in the bantamweight division in the months ahead.
Next up: A recap of all the rookie grades so far.
UFC debutants in Q1 2020, graded
UFC 246 (Las Vegas), Jan. 18
- Aleksa Camur (defeated Justin Ledet via unanimous decision): C+
- Ode Osbourne (lost to Brian Kelleher via submission, Round 1): D+
UFC on ESPN+ 24 (Raleigh), Jan. 25
- Herbert Burns (defeated Nate Landwehr via knockout, Round 1): A
- Nate Landwehr (lost to Herbert Burns via knockout, Round 1): D-
- Tony Gravely (lost to Brett Johns via submission, Round 3): C
- Jamahal Hill (defeated Darko Stosic via unanimous decision): C-
UFC 247 (Houston), Feb. 8
- Austin Lingo (lost to Youssef Zalal via unanimous decision): C-
- Youssef Zalal (defeated Austin Lingo via unanimous decision): B
- Khaos Williams (defeated Alex Morono via knockout, Round 1): A
UFC on ESPN+ 25 (Rio Rancho), Feb. 15
- Shanna Young (lost to Macy Chiasson via unanimous decision): D+
- Daniel Rodriguez (defeated Tim Means via submission, Round 2): A+
- Brok Weaver (defeated Kazula Vargas via disqualification, Round 1): C-
UFC on ESPN+ 26 (Auckland), Feb 23
- Joshua Culibao (lost to Jalin Turner via TKO, Round 2): D-
UFC on ESPN+ 27 (Norfolk), Feb. 29
- Spike Carlyle (defeated Aalon Cruz via TKO, Round 1): A
- Aalon Cruz (lost to Spike Carlyle via TKO, Round 1): D
- TJ Brown (lost to Jordan Griffin via submission, Round 2): C-
- Steve Garcia (lost to Luis Pena via unanimous decision): C-
- Kyler Phillips (defeated Gabriel Silva via unanimous decision): A-
- Darrick Minner (lost to Grant Dawson via submission, Round 2): C-
- Norma Dumont (lost to Megan Anderson via knockout, Round 1): D
UFC 248 (Las Vegas), Mar. 7
- Jamall Emmers (lost to Giga Chikadze via split decision): C
UFC on ESPN+ 28 (Brasilia), Mar. 14
- David Dvorak (defeated Bruno Silva via unanimous decision): C+
