Fighters from around the globe dream of the day they’ll step into the UFC octagon for the first time. For four athletes, Saturday’s UFC on ESPN+ 24 event marked that special moment in their career.
Check out this week’s rookie report to see what kind of first impression those fighters made on the sport’s biggest stage from PNC Arena in Raleigh, N.C.
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Jamahal Hill
Division: Light heavyweight
Result: Jamahal Hill def. Darko Stosic via unanimous decision (29-27, 29-27, 29-27)
Record: 7-0 MMA, 1-0 UFC
Grade: C-
Long and lean at 205 pounds with a slick southpaw jab, Jamahal Hill used his physical gifts to outpoint gritty grappler Darko Stosic over three rounds in the main-card opener, but his performance showed that the 28-year-old still has much to work on if he plans to make a dent in the UFC’s hard-hitting light heavyweight division.
First, the positives: Hill showed a consistent, accurate jab and followed up with sharp, straight left hands to keep judoka Stosic at arm’s length for much of the bout as he landed more than 100 strikes. He also showed a decent gas tank and good athleticism as he comprehensively outstruck his opponent over the three-round duration.
But while his strikes looked slick and his reflexes seemed sharp, the bout highlighted some technical issues that will certainly need attention as he looks to move up the ranks at 205 pounds. Hill carries his chin pretty high, and his low lead right hand leaves the door wide open for a left hand counter that a harder puncher than Stosic might have exploited.
On the flip side, Trevor Wittman noted during the ESPN+ broadcast that Hill was tuned into his coaches’ instructions during the fight and was switching up his attack when called upon. That’s certainly a big positive for such a young fighter and shows he isn’t too caught up in the moment when he’s in the thick of the action. But he’ll need to tighten up his hands from a defensive perspective as he starts to face a higher class of opposition in the UFC.
In conclusion, there’s plenty to work on, but there’s also plenty to be encouraged by. It might take a few fights and some noticeable improvements before he gets moved up in competition, but there’s certainly something to work with moving forward.
Tony Gravely
Division: Bantamweight
Result: Brett Johns def. Tony Gravely via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 3, 2:53
Record: 19-6 MMA, 0-1 UFC
Grade: C
Tony Gravely impressed on “Dana White’s Contender Series” as he earned his contract to fight on the big show, and the UFC matchmakers certainly didn’t give him an easy introduction to life at the top level of MMA.
Gravely faced Brett Johns, a former Cage Warriors champion who was fired up and looking to bounce back from back-to-back defeats to Aljamain Sterling and Pedro Munhoz, respectively – the only losses of his career. But, despite facing tough, motivated opposition, Gravely battled gamely in an entertaining back-and-forth grapple-heavy matchup before eventually succumbing to a third-round rear-naked choke submission.
While he may not have picked up the win he would have wanted in his octagon debut, his defensive work on the mat against the relentless Johns showed both skill and composure as he held off the Welshman while offering an attacking threat of his own.
The nature of the matchup meant we didn’t get to see too much of Gravely’s standup, but in a bout that saw him thrown in with a man who has held his own in battles with two of the UFC’s current top five, he certainly showed enough to suggest that better things are to come for the 28-year-old Virginian.
Herbert Burns
Division: Featherweight
Result: Herbert Burns def. Nate Landwehr via knockout (knee) – Round 1, 2:43
Record: 10-2 MMA, 1-0 UFC
Grade: A
Following his contract-winning display on “Dana White’s Contender Series,” Herbert Burns headed into his octagon debut with many expecting him to try to grapple his way to victory. After all, the brother of fellow submission ace Gilbert Burns had finished seven of his nine career victories by that method. But the Brazilian showed he’s no one-trick pony as he marked the occasion of his first UFC appearance with a stunning knockout – the first of his MMA career.
Heading into the matchup, Nate Landwehr hadn’t lost since 2015, a stat that was even more impressive given the fact that he’d spent the last three years competing for Russian promotion M-1 Global. In addition, he had only lost twice and had never been knocked out in 15 pro fights. That resumé only served to make Burns’ performance all the more eye catching.
The Brazilian outstruck Landwehr in the early exchanges, then locked up a D’Arce choke that threatened to finish the fight early in the round. But, to his credit, Landwehr stayed calm and managed to escape the hold before firing back with a wild flurry of punches. Rather than wilt under the barrage of strikes, Burns stayed cool and countered with a perfectly timed knee to claim an instant knockout and a spectacular first win inside the octagon.
As debuts go, it showed almost everything you’d like to see from a fighter: a willingness to strike, excellent grappling acumen and, crucially, calmness and composure under fire. Throw in a highlight-reel knockout, and you’ve got pretty much the perfect UFC debut.
Nate Landwehr
Division: Featherweight
Result: Herbert Burns def. Nate Landwehr via knockout (knee) – Round 1, 2:43
Record: 13-3 MMA, 0-1 UFC
Grade: D-
It’s tough to grade someone with a pass mark when they’ve been knocked out in the first round of their octagon debut but, despite his stoppage defeat to Herbert Burns, Landwehr showed me glimpses that suggested that he could prove to be an entertaining addition to the UFC’s 145-pound division.
In the end, he appeared to suffer from two issues on fight night. First, he seemed a little over-eager, and secondly he was up against a very, very good opponent in Burns.
However, while he was clearly second best to the Brazilian on the night, there were some reasons to be optimistic for the American, who didn’t panic when caught in a dangerous D’Arce choke early on. That composure should stand him in good stead moving forward. But his over-eagerness to make up for the lengthy spell caught in that hold proved to be his undoing in the end.
After escaping the hold and gaining separation, Landwehr engaged berserker mode and unleashed a barrage of strikes at Burns, who was backed against the fence. But that flurry left him open to a counter, and one well-placed knee was all it took to derail “The Train” and send him to the first knockout loss of his career.
His record prior to arriving in the UFC suggested he could hang tough in the octagon and, perhaps with the over-eagerness of his UFC debut now out of his system, we’ll see a better Landwehr next time out. I’m not going to write him off after that performance, especially against a guy like Burns, who I think could make some serious progress in the UFC’s 145-pound division. In fact, I suspect we’ll see a much better version of “The Train” next time out.
