Latest news with #KrisMoutinho
Yahoo
28-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Antonio Senzatela records 500th career strikeout
Malcolm Wellmaker breaks down his brutal KO at UFC Atlanta Malcolm Wellmaker, surging UFC bantamweight contender, joins after his devastating win over Kris Moutinho and gets into his KO streak, fighting in Atlanta, his childhood and early career, quitting his job as a pipefitter, and more. 2:19 Now Playing Paused Ad Playing
Yahoo
27-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
From the Vault: Shepherd outduels icons to win 1986 Atlanta race
Malcolm Wellmaker breaks down his brutal KO at UFC Atlanta Malcolm Wellmaker, surging UFC bantamweight contender, joins after his devastating win over Kris Moutinho and gets into his KO streak, fighting in Atlanta, his childhood and early career, quitting his job as a pipefitter, and more. 2:19 Now Playing Paused Ad Playing
USA Today
17-06-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
'That f*ckin blew': Kris Moutinho reacts to 'failure to execute' in UFC return
'That f*ckin blew': Kris Moutinho reacts to 'failure to execute' in UFC return Kris Moutinho has been there before, but it still stings. At Saturday's UFC on ESPN 69, Moutinho (14-7 MMA, 0-3 UFC) returned to the promotion on nine days' notice and was brutally knocked out by homecrowd favorite Malcolm Wellmaker (10-0 MMA, 2-0 UFC). The knockout was a one-punch with the stoppage at 2:37 of Round 1. "So that f**kin blew another wasted opportunity another failure to execute but it is what is," Moutinho wrote on Instagram after the loss. "God is still good has given everything good in my life a has blessed me with that chance thank everyone that got me here my coaches @tyson_chartier @asiatic_justme my team at the @necartelmma @upperkutsboxingclub a special thanks to @tompags for taking his time to come to Atlanta and corner me. my girlfriend @trigga__tris for loving me unconditionally and my family and friends that love me wether I win or lose and thank you to the @ufc @danawhite @seanshelby for the opportunity. I appreciate you thank you for this crazy life." Moutinho, 32, rose to fame when he took a short-notice bout with Sean O'Malley in 2021. He took a lot of punishment in the fight, before he was stopped late in Round 3. His next UFC fight was a quick TKO stoppage loss to Guido Cannetti. The defeat resulted in a pink slip from the UFC. After his UFC departure, Moutinho won five-straight fights on the regional scene. All of those wins were inside the distance, as he trained under New England Cartel coach Tyson Chartier.
Yahoo
15-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
UFC Atlanta: Malcolm Wellmaker is the bantamweight boogeyman and the division should be terrified!
The post UFC Atlanta: Malcolm Wellmaker is the bantamweight boogeyman and the division should be terrified! appeared first on ClutchPoints. Malcolm 'The Machine' Wellmaker has done it again. In front of a roaring crowd at UFC Atlanta, the Augusta native delivered what's becoming his trademark: an electrifying, first-round knockout, this time at the expense of the notoriously durable Kris Moutinho. With this latest finish, Wellmaker not only preserved his perfect record but sent a thunderous warning to the UFC bantamweight division—he is not here to play, and he might just be the most dangerous new force at 135 pounds. Advertisement The UFC went to extraordinary lengths to find Wellmaker an opponent for this homecoming showcase, ultimately landing on Moutinho, a fighter whose reputation for absorbing punishment borders on mythical. Moutinho, remembered by fans for his 'walking chin' performance against Sean O'Malley, was brought in as a late replacement, just 11 days' notice, after others reportedly balked at the assignment. Wellmaker, for his part, showed respect for Moutinho's grit and willingness to step up, but made no secret of his intentions: 'To be completely candid, I'm quite confident that I will knock him out,' he said in the lead-up. He was true to his word. The fight barely had time to develop before Wellmaker uncorked a devastating right hand that sent Moutinho crashing to the canvas, lights out, and forced the referee's intervention. It was Wellmaker's third straight first-round knockout, a streak that now includes his Contender Series contract-winning KO, his UFC debut destruction of Cameron Saaiman, and this latest demolition of Moutinho. A Star Is Born! What makes Wellmaker's rise so compelling isn't just the violence of his finishes, but the context surrounding them. Just over a year ago, Wellmaker was still working as a pipe-fitter, grinding away at a day job while training part-time. His UFC debut in Kansas City was a revelation: a counter right hook that left Saaiman face-first on the canvas, earning Wellmaker a $50,000 bonus and a wave of new fans. That performance, coupled with his Contender Series highlight, made it clear that 'The Machine' was not simply another prospect—he was a problem. Since then, Wellmaker has quit his day job, dedicated himself fully to the sport, and watched his social media following explode by over 70,000 in just two months. The UFC, recognizing his star potential, rewarded him with a homecoming bout in Atlanta, just two hours from his hometown of Augusta. For Wellmaker, fighting in front of friends, family, and a supportive Georgia crowd was a dream realized: 'Everything about this card feels like a dream come true,' he said before the fight. Advertisement But dreams alone don't put opponents to sleep, Wellmaker's fists do. With each successive knockout, he's proving that his power, timing, and composure are not flukes. His record now stands at a pristine 10-0, with six of those wins coming by knockout and the majority inside the opening round. His striking accuracy is a sterling 61%, and his average fight time is a blink-and-you'll-miss-it 2:14. Moutinho, for all his toughness, never stood a chance. The numbers bear it out: Moutinho absorbs a staggering 15.48 significant strikes per minute, by far the most in the division, and his defense sits at a perilous 28%. Against a finisher like Wellmaker, those are fatal flaws. The result was inevitable, and Wellmaker delivered. Wellmaker Is the Division's Boogeyman It's time to say it—Malcolm Wellmaker is the bantamweight boogeyman. In a division loaded with talent and depth, no one is making statements as violently and consistently as 'The Machine.' Three consecutive first-round knockouts, all against increasingly tough opposition, is no accident. Wellmaker brings a rare blend of athleticism, power, and self-belief that makes him a nightmare matchup for anyone outside the very top of the division. Advertisement The UFC has a potential superstar on its hands. Wellmaker's story, a blue-collar fighter who rose from regional obscurity to UFC stardom in less than a year, resonates. His fighting style, all aggression and highlight-reel finishes, is tailor-made for the modern fan, and his confidence is infectious. The question now isn't whether Wellmaker belongs. It's how quickly he can climb the ranks, and whether anyone can survive his opening-round onslaught. With each fight, the answer seems less likely. The bantamweight division has been put on notice: the boogeyman is real, and his name is Malcolm Wellmaker. If you're a contender at 135 pounds, you might want to sleep with one eye open. The Machine is coming, and he's coming for heads. Related: UFC Atlanta: Give Rodolfo Bellato an Oscar after the bizarre ending to his fight with Paul Craig Related: UFC Atlanta: Jose Ochoa silences the hometown crowd knocking out Cody Durden
USA Today
15-06-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
UFC on ESPN 69 video: Malcolm Wellmaker moves to 10-0 with faceplant KO of Kris Moutinho
UFC on ESPN 69 video: Malcolm Wellmaker moves to 10-0 with faceplant KO of Kris Moutinho Malcolm Wellmaker gave the Atlanta crowd what it wanted at UFC on ESPN 69 with a devastating one-punch knockout of Kris Moutinho. Georgia native Wellmaker (10-0 MMA, 2-0 UFC) continued to add to his hype as a bantamweight prospect to watch with an absolutely perfect right hook that put Moutinho (14-7 MMA, 0-3 UFC) out on impact and sent him face planted into the canvas at the 2:37 mark of Round 1 at State Farm Arena. The crowd was electric for the finish, and Wellmaker celebrated rightfully after a vicious knockout. Check out the replay of Wellmaker's big win below (via Instagram and X): MALCOLM WELLMAKER PUT HIM TO SLEEP 🤯 #UFCAtlanta — ESPN MMA (@espnmma) June 15, 2025 After the fight, an ecstatic Wellmaker made it known that he will continue to be a problem for anyone at 135 pounds. "I believe I have the power to put any bantamweight out, even one known for having a chin like Kris Moutinho," Wellmaker said in his post-fight interview with Paul Felder. "I've got power. You can't play with it, man." Up-to-the-minute UFC Atlanta results:
