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 7 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 Capital One Arena in Washington D.C.
* * * * *
Mallory Martin
Division: Strawweight
Result: Virna Jandiroba def. Mallory Martin via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 2, 1:16
Record: (6-3 MMA, 0-1 UFC)
Grade: C+
Mallory Martin came in on short notice to face former Invicta FC champ Virna Jandiroba at Saturday’s card, so it’s easy to write off some of her shortcomings – and while she didn’t look fantastic in her UFC debut, let’s not forget that Jandiroba came into this contest ranked No. 11 in the latest USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie strawweight rankings.
In short, the deck was stacked against Martin, a four-time Invicta FC veteran who also owns a win under the Dana White’s Contender Series banner, as well. To her credit, Martin tried to make the fight exciting, flashing her impressive striking skills during the brief moments she remained upright. But Jandiroba’s perfectly timed takedowns saw her get to the floor early and often, and once she got on the back, the Brazilian’s submission attack was sublime.
Stylistically, there are better matchup available for Martin in the division, so she’ll hope for someone looking to strike in her next time out. A proper training camp will likely help, as well, so while she didn’t necessarily look phenomenal in her debut, don’t close the book on Martin just yet.
Joe Solecki
Division: Lightweight
Result: Joe Solecki def. Matt Wiman via unanimous decision (30-26, 30-26, 30-27)
Record: (9-2 MMA, 1-0 UFC)
Grade: A
Joe Solecki couldn’t have asked for a better UFC debut. Well, a finish would have been the last step in solidifying an absolutely perfect octagon start, but he came about as close as possible, dominating a gritty veteran in Matt Wiman from start to finish.
Wiman did his best to bait Solecki into a standup battle, but the Dana White’s Contender Series contract winner stuck true to his gameplan, changing levels at the earliest opportunity in each round and driving the action to the canvas, where he dominated the action in both the striking and grappling department.
Wiman’s frustration got the best of him in the final round, as he finally was able to gain a moment of top position and drive his face against his opponent’s while clearly voicing a few displeasures. Solecki kept his cool, and he cruised to a very impressive decision win, 30-26, 30-26 and 30-27. MMA Junkie actually had the fight 30-25.
Wiman’s best days are behind him, that’s clear. But Solecki dominated him, which is all you can ask against an overmatched opponent. Keep an eye on him moving forward.
Jacob Kilburn and Billy Quarantillo
Division: Featherweight
Result: Billy Quarantillo def. Jacob Kilburn via submission (triangle choke) – Round 2, 3:18
Record: Billy Quarantillo (13-2 MMA, 1-0 UFC)
Grade: A+
Record: Jacob Kilburn (8-3 MMA, 0-1 UFC)
Grade: D-
Jacob Killburn proved he’s one of the toughest human beings on the face of the planet, but that’s only because Billy Quarantillo had one of the most incredible UFC debuts in recent memory.
Aggressive and dominant from the start, Quarantillo just absolutely assaulted Kilburn at every available opportunity. Taking the fight to the floor early in both the first and second rounds, Quarantillo didn’t just control the positioning, it was non-stop offense in both the grappling and striking realms. Unleashing brutal strikes on the floor in between hunting for submission attempts, Quarantillo was incredibly relentless and would have finished a lesser man far sooner.
To his credit, Killburn proved he deserves another shot, if for no other reason than his durability. Certainly things could go much differently if he’s not on the back foot from moment one next time out. But Quarantillo looked like he’s really one to watch moving forward.
