"And just like that" - UFC fighters react to Josh Quinlan's devastating debut knockout at UFC Fight Night: Vera vs. Cruz

UFC fighters have erupted on social media after witnessing an unbelievable debut that saw Josh Quinland deliver a one-punch knockout to the experienced Jason Witt.

The prelims have not long been underway, and fans have already witnessed to a bone-crushing knockout. In the first prelim fight, Youssef Zelal and Da'Mon Blackshear put on a back-and-forth war which resulted in a draw, but that matchup was outclassed by the finish in the catchweight fight that followed.

Josh Quinlan came into the promotion with an inexperienced record of 5-0-1 and quickly got to work with a standout knockout in his first octagon appearance. UFC fighters couldn't hold back their excitement and let their thoughts be known regarding the fight on social media.

Explosive lightweight prospect Terrance McKinney praised 'The Renegade' and led the way to show support for the UFC's new welterweight contender.

More current and former UFC fighters, alongside Francis Ngannou's coach, soon followed in their endorsement for the relatively unknown 170 pounder, knowing they could be witnessing the beginning of something special.

The main card is fast approaching, with the highly-anticipated bantamweight clash between Marlon Vera and Dominick Cruz being the main attraction for the night. Although the 135 pound division is stacked with killers, an impressive win for either man tonight could mean they leapfrog their way to a title shot.

Check out the incredible finish from Quinlan during his flawless UFC debut in the post below.

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Josh Quinlan's career before the UFC

After ending his only three amateur fights by knockout, Josh Quinlan decided it was time to enter the world of professional mixed martial arts, and a 32-second finish in his first fight at Rumble in the Cage 61 proved he made the right decision.

A first-round submission over Aaron Thompson followed, and despite being just two fights into his MMA career, the welterweight showcased enough promise to be picked up by the LFA.

LFA 9 was the stage set for Quinlan's debut in the promotion, and after he entered the second round for the first time in his professional career, he scored a beautiful knockout.

Back-to-back third-round finishes gifted the 29-year-old a chance on Dana White's Tuesday Night Contender Series, which he took full advantage of. Another stellar performance saw the knockout artist end the fight just 47 seconds in, but it was later overturned after he tested positive for the banned substance drostanolone.