Fighters from around the globe dream of the day they’ll step into the UFC octagon for the first time. For two athletes, Saturday’s UFC on ESPN 9 event marked that special moment in their career.
Check out this week’s rookie report to see what kind of first impression they made on the sport’s biggest stage from the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.
* * * * *
Brandon Royval
Division: Flyweight
Result: Brandon Royval def. Tim Elliott via submission (arm-triangle choke) – Round 2, 3:18
Record: 11-4 MMA, 1-0 UFC
Grade: B+
Denver flyweight Brandon Royval was handed a tough task for his UFC debut, but the former LFA flyweight champion passed the test with flying colors with an impressive submission finish.
Royval’s second-round arm-triangle finish of flyweight veteran Tim Elliott was one of the night’s outstanding performances at UFC on ESPN 9 as he earned a win on his octagon debut over ranked opposition and bagged a cool $50,000 “Performance of the Night” bonus in the process.
UFC veteran Elliott has shared the octagon with some of the division’s best over his previous 13 fights for the promotion, and his ability to take the fight to the mat certainly gave Royval problems early on. But, the debutant showed excellent composure as he worked his way into the fight, then used Elliott’s aggression against him to score an impressive submission win.
Despite being forced to fight off the back foot, and his back, in the opening five minutes Royval showed that he’s dangerous in the scrambles as he threatened with a Kimura, then an armbar, during an action-packed first round. And when the action got underway in Round 2, Royval turned the tables and enjoyed some top-position pressure of his own.
At times Royval over-committed with his strikes as he attempted to establish his stand-up game, but despite being punished with another Elliott takedown midway through the round, the debutant once again showed his scrambling ability as turned the tables on Elliott and locked up an arm-triangle choke to force the tap.
Royval showed great composure under duress, impressive cardio against a relentless opponent and the grappling smarts to create a submission opening, then finish it. There’s some room for improvement – we didn’t see the best of his striking game – but against such a high-octane opponent, Royval showed plenty to suggest that he’ll pose a serious threat at 125 pounds.
He also gave a hint that there’s much more to come, too. Royval was close to tears with disappointment as he spoke to Daniel Cormier after the fight. To be that disappointed after finishing the No. 11-ranked contender on his debut shows that he’s set sky-high standards for himself. If he comes closer to meeting them in his next few performances, we could soon see him right up there at the sharp end of the division.
Next up: All-action welterweight has plenty of upside, despite defeat
Gabe Green
Division: Welterweight
Result: Daniel Rodriguez def. Gabe Green via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Record: 9-3 MMA, 0-1 UFC
Grade: C
Stepping in on four days’ notice for his UFC debut for his first fight since August 2018, Gabe Green ended up on the losing end of a unanimous decision verdict against Daniel Rodriguez, but did himself great credit, despite his defeat.
Despite the lack of preparation time, Green came into the fight in great shape, and proceeded to stand and bang with “D-Rod” for three full rounds at the UFC Apex as he showcased his toughness and willingness to strike.
Green looked a little too keen to make his power count early on as he loaded up on his shots in Round 1. But as the fight progressed Rodriguez’s longer range, more consistent pacing and superior accuracy saw him hold the upper hand through all three rounds. That’s not to say Green wasn’t in the fight, however. The debutant was happy to push forward and bring the action to Rodriguez throughout the bout as he stepped inside and tried to fight in a phone box and rough up his opponent.
When the scores were totaled after three all-action rounds it was Rodriguez who got the nod with scores of 30-27 across the board. But despite missing out on a debut victory. Green showed an outstanding gas tank, a granite chin, and a willingness to step into the pocket and throw down for the full 15-minute duration. Qualities like those should ensure he has little problem getting future bookings – and exciting fights – in the months to come.
