5 fighters who turned their UFC debuts into highlight reels

#2. Michael Chandler vs. Dan Hooker – UFC 257

Michael Chandler crushed Dan Hooker in his UFC debut in February

Former Bellator MMA champions have endured mixed results inside the UFC, with the likes of Hector Lombard and Will Brooks struggling heavily while Eddie Alvarez was able to claim the UFC lightweight title.

So when the former Bellator lightweight kingpin Michael Chandler signed with the UFC to make his octagon debut against Dan Hooker, the pressure was on, particularly when the promotion made his fight the co-main event of a Conor McGregor-headlined pay-per-view.

However, showing no signs of any nerves or jitters, ‘Iron' quickly turned his UFC debut into a highlight reel for the ages, making him an instant star in the process.

After a brief feeling-out period, Chandler came flying forward with a leaping left hook that connected squarely with Hooker’s jaw, sending ‘The Hangman’ crashing down to the ground.

Hooker had survived serious punishment before, but this was a punch that could’ve dropped a rhino, and Chandler followed it up with another brutal barrage that immediately forced referee Marc Goddard to call the fight off.

The knockout was so good that it earned Chandler an instant shot at the vacant UFC lightweight title, and at the time of writing, it remains a high-end contender for 2021’s knockout of the year.

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#1. Anderson Silva vs. Chris Leben – UFC Fight Night 5

Anderson Silva blew UFC fans away with his debut win back in 2006

Probably the greatest example of a fighter who was able to turn his UFC debut into a highlight reel remains legendary former middleweight kingpin Anderson Silva.

When he signed with the UFC in 2006, Silva brought plenty of hype with him from his time in PRIDE and Cage Rage.

However, few fans expected him to adjust to the UFC’s higher level of competition so quickly, particularly when his debut saw him matched with the uber-tough Chris Leben.

Ignoring Leben’s pre-fight insults about sending Silva back to Japan “where the competition is easier”, ‘The Spider’ remained calm prior to the fight and then put on a show for the ages.

Literally every strike he threw landed cleanly on Leben, from a stiff one-two that dropped him to the fight-ending series of kicks and knees that left ‘The Crippler’ knocked out for the first time in his MMA career.

More to the point, despite facing one of the middleweight division’s heaviest hitters, Silva somehow didn’t even absorb a single strike in return.

The Brazilian’s performance left UFC fans in awe, and it was enough for the promotion to fast-track him straight into a UFC middleweight title shot.

Of course, the rest is history. For all of the accolades Silva went onto achieve, his UFC debut remains arguably his greatest highlight-reel fight.