5 best UFC debuts of 2021

Paddy Pimblett (left) in action against Luigi Vendramini

The UFC has the largest roster of MMA fighters in the world. Every year, a long list of fighters from outside the UFC make their promotional debuts in the octagon. While some crumble under pressure or get intimidated by the bright lights of such a big stage, others embrace the moment and make a statement with a memorable performance.

Some of the most memorable UFC debuts of all time include Conor McGregor’s TKO victory over Marcus Brimage, Alistair Overeem’s triumph over Brock Lesnar and Anderson Silva’s win over Chris Leben, to name a few.

The premier MMA organization in the world has a variety of avenues from which it draws its talent. The Ultimate Fighter and Dana White’s Contender Series are two popular shows that showcase fighters outside the UFC. Additionally, the promotion is constantly on the lookout for top talent from other MMA organizations around the world.

Some of the best fighters to have ever competed in the UFC kicked off their careers in the promotion with a strong performance. A viral knockout or submission in one’s first outing in the octagon drastically increases the marketability of a fighter, as well as the potential of a fighter in the eyes of matchmakers and fans alike.

With 2021 drawing to a close, we thought we’d look back on some of the most impressive UFC debuts of the year. Honorable mentions include Manon Fiorot’s win over Victoria Leonardo (at UFC Fight Night: Chiesa vs. Magny), Jeff Molina’s win over Qileng Aori (at UFC 261: Usman vs. Masvidal 2) and Chris Curtis’ win over Phil Hawes (at UFC 268: Usman vs. Covington 2).

Without further ado, let’s rank the top 5 most impressive debuts of 2021.

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#5. Terrence McKinney (against Matt Frevola at UFC 263)

Terrence McKinney made his UFC debut at UFC 263: Adesanya vs. Vettori 2 under extraordinary circumstances. The 27-year-old lightweight had fought just a week prior, headlining an LFA event wherein he won via first round TKO.

UFC lightweight Matt Frevola, who has been in the UFC since 2018, was scheduled to fight Frank Camacho in the prelims of UFC 263. The latter was forced to pull out of the bout after he was involved in a traffic accident.

In turn, Frevola took on a promotional newcomer in Terrence McKinney instead, who stepped in on 7 days’ notice.

In one of the most memorable debuts of the year, McKinney knocked Frevola out just 7 seconds into the bout with a solid one-two combination. It was the fastest ever stoppage in the history of the UFC lightweight division.

Following the bout, some shocking details about McKinney’s past were revealed. The American had suffered from a drug overdose back in 2016 that almost took his life. It was truly an inspiration to see someone bounce back from such a dark place and make it to the biggest stage in the world.

Watch McKinney discuss his past in this segment of an episode of UFC Connected below:

#4. Ian Garry (against Jordan Williams at UFC 268)

Ian Garry made his UFC debut at UFC 268: Usman vs. Covington 2 at Madison Square Garden in New York City. The undefeated prospect came into the promotion with a lot of hype behind him. He was touted as one of the best welterweights to emerge out of the leading MMA promotion in the United Kingdom, Cage Warriors.

The 24-year-old Irishman took on Jordan Williams in his UFC debut and knocked the American out cold in the first round, one second before the bell. In his post-fight interview with Joe Rogan, Garry referenced his compatriot, Conor McGregor, saying:

“Joe, a wise Irish man once said before me, he stepped in this very cage and he said, ‘We’re not here to take part, we’re here to take over.’ And this is the takeover part 2.”

Watch Garry’s full post-fight interview with Joe Rogan below:

‘The Future’ is an incredibly promising addition to the already-stacked UFC welterweight division. Garry has even opted to move to the United States for his training camps. In preparation for his bout with Williams, he trained at Sanford MMA, home to the likes of Michael Chandler, Derek Brunson and Gilbert Burns.

Many have drawn comparisons between Ian Garry and Conor McGregor. The combination that Garry used to knock Williams out was a slick counter-cross, a strike that McGregor himself has mastered.

‘The Notorious’ even gave a shoutout to his countryman on Twitter leading up to the fight, saying:

"Good luck to Ireland’s Ian Garry making his UFC debut tonight at MSG! Enjoy it all my man, the stuff dreams are made of! A solid young Irish fighter to keep an eye on Let’s go @iangarryMMA!"

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#3. Paddy Pimblett (against Luigi Vendramini at UFC Fight Night: Brunson vs. Till)

Paddy Pimblett was already one of the most popular fighters in England before he moved to the UFC. The former Cage Warriors featherweight champion had turned down the UFC twice before in his career, revealing that he ‘wasn’t ready’ to move to the premier MMA organization in the world at such a young age.

The 26-year-old from Liverpool finally signed with the UFC in 2021 and took on Luigi Vendramini at UFC Fight Night: Brunson vs. Till in his promotional debut. Pimblett, despite being caught multiple times early on, finished Vendramini in the first round with a sensational knockout. ‘The Baddy’ secured a Performance of the Night bonus for his efforts.

Pimblett, with his funky hairstyle and outspoken nature, is an incredibly marketable fighter. Having already headlined shows and sold-out venues in England, the UFC is certainly aware that they have a new star on their hands.

He refused to make a call-out following his win over Vendramini. Rather, in his post-fight interview with Michael Bisping, the Englishman said:

“I’m here to take over lad. I’m the new cash-cow, the new main man on the UFC roster. I best be in the game next week lad, that simple. Know what I mean? I’m the new man lad. People are going to be calling me out now. You know who the boy is!”

Watch Pimblett’s full post-fight interview below:

#2. Alex Pereira (against Andreas Michailidis at UFC 268)

Alex Pereira is one of the most decorated and accomplished kickboxers in the world. The Brazilian is undoubtedly an exciting addition to the UFC's middleweight division.

Pereira has gained a reputation for possessing an incredible amount of power and has produced some vicious knockouts in the kickboxing ring. Furthermore, he remains the only man to have knocked out the reigning UFC middleweight champion, Israel Adesanya.

Pereira began competing in MMA in 2015 and accrued a 3-1 record before being signed by the UFC. He made his promotional debut at UFC 268: Usman vs. Covington 2 in New York City, where he took on Andreas Michailidis. ‘Po Atan’ displayed his defensive abilities on the mat in the first round and knocked Michailidis out with a sensational flying knee in the second.

Following Pereira’s victory, analysts and fans started to fantasize about a potential match-up between the flashy Brazilian and Israel Adesanya.

Stylistically, it would be a sight to behold, as two elite strikers squaring off with no intention of shooting for a takedown will definitely produce fireworks. There is an extremely engaging storyline as well, with Adesanya most likely looking to avenge his KO loss to Pereira in kickboxing.

Speaking to MMAFighting.com after his debut, Pereira had this to say about Adesanya:

“I’m not worried, man. He’s the one that should be worried, right? He knows about my potential and knows I’ll get [to the top]. When I go somewhere, I do it to become the best, just like it was in kickboxing. I’ll do everything I can to get there, and maybe he won’t even be there when I do — [if that’s the case] what do I want with Adesanya? Nothing. Is he the champion? Cool, he’s the one I want. He’s no longer the champion? I want the one that is.”

In a video posted to his YouTube channel FREESTYLEBENDER, Adesanya gave his take on Pereira’s victory. He said:

“Good job, Pereira. That was nice. One thing I notice is everyone always holds on to that win he has over me like it’s the be all end all. I hope he does well. I hope he does well through the ranks. In the next four fights, I hope to see him. They’ll show you the knockout, but they won’t show you what happened before the fight. They won’t show you what happened before the finish. I hurt him, but I only throw these [raises fist] because I was infiltrated by other people’s thoughts. But that was when I was younger. Not anymore. It’s different now. What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.”

Watch Adesanya’s reaction to Pereira's knockout below:

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#1. Michael Chandler (against Dan Hooker at UFC 257)

Michael Chandler’s move to the UFC was one of the most talked-about topics among the MMA community towards the end of 2020.

The former Bellator lightweight champion was announced as a back-up fighter for the main event of UFC 254: Nurmagomedov vs. Gaethje. However, both Khabib Nurmagomedov and Justin Gaethje made weight and competed for the UFC lightweight belt, with ‘The Eagle’ emerging victorious.

Subsequently, Chandler was booked to make his promotional debut against Dan Hooker at UFC 257: Poirier vs. McGregor 2 in January. He made a resounding statement in his UFC debut, securing a sensational TKO-victory over Hooker in the co-main event.

Soon after the bout, Chandler cut a promo with a pro-wrestling style post-fight interview to put the entire lightweight division on notice. He called out the likes of Conor McGregor, Dustin Poirier and Khabib Nurmagomedov in emphatic fashion. Speaking to Jon Anik, ‘Iron’ had this to say:

“Conor McGregor, surprise surprise! There’s a new king in the lightweight division. Dustin Poirier, your time is coming and Khabib, if you ever do see fit to grace us with your presence back here in the UFC octagon in your quest for 30-0 you got to beat somebody, so beat me! If you can! God Bless! See you at the top!”

His victory over Hooker saw him get booked to take on Charles Oliveira for the vacant UFC lightweight championship. Very rarely do we see a fighter fight for a belt just two bouts into his promotional run, yet Chandler managed to pull it off. He has emerged as one of the most entertaining and likable fighters on the roster ever since.