Latest news with #Wellmaker
USA Today
01-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
UFC newcomer Malcolm Wellmaker recalls key early career motivation from Jorge Masvidal
UFC newcomer Malcolm Wellmaker recalls key early career motivation from Jorge Masvidal Show Caption Hide Caption UFC's Malcolm Wellmaker recalls Jorge Masvidal's motivating message UFC bantamweight Malcolm Wellmaker speaks to MMA Junkie Radio following his debut victory at UFC on ESPN 66 in Kansas City, Mo. Malcolm Wellmaker will never forget his UFC debut, and the motivating factor that helped him believe he could become a star in MMA. At UFC on ESPN 66, Wellmaker (9-0 MMA, 1-0 UFC) impressed in his UFC debut with a vicious first-round knockout of Cameron Saaiman. It was a moment that he will never forget, not only because it was his UFC debut, but the Performance of the Night bonus he pocketed for the knockout allowed him to quit his job to focus on fighting full time. Today, Wellmaker is as confident a bantamweight you'll come across, but before he reached this level, he recalls a message from a UFC BMF who helped him believe he could achieve big success as a fighter after just his second professional fight. "It was my second pro fight when I fought for Jorge Masvidal," Wellmaker told MMA Junkie Radio. "Biggest opportunity I had – I had First Round reach out to me for the opportunity to fight on his show. I had never even met a UFC fighter before. So, I got that opportunity, I went out there, put on a show. Jorge gave me a $1,000 cash bonus for the knockout. "I walked away from that fight night and I believed him when he told me I could be great, that I could do some good things. Ever since then, I believed in my heart that I could make it to this level and do this." That night on Aug. 5, 2022, at iKON FC 4, Wellmaker knocked out Langston Sykes with a left hook in the first round. It was one of five finishes in his first seven fights that earned him a call to Dana White's Contender Series last August, where he knocked out Adam Bramhald to earn a UFC contract. He would go on to make the most of his debut with another statement knockout, one that he knew would happen. "Me and my coaches 100 percent believed it was going to be a right hand that knocked him out," Wellmaker said. "We definitely didn't think it would be that early, and the reason why is we expected him to come in and wrestle. ... Fortunately, he never even level changed to try to shoot for a takedown, so it came a lot faster." The knockout came fast, and so did a major life change. Just a couple of days after his fight, Wellmaker quit his job as a pipefitter welder, which he admits is a bit scary, but he believes it's a necessary move in order to elevate his game to the fullest potential. "It's weird to think that I don't have to do that anymore and my bills are still going to be paid," Wellmaker said. "It's bittersweet, too, because the guys I worked with are like family to me. I've been at the job I'm at now for over two years. These guys have been a part of my life for so long. We've been going through Christmases together, they've been to my baby shower – I love these guys. ... It's bittersweet, but all of them want to see me win. It's good, man. I'm gonna go out there and try to make them all proud."
The South African
30-04-2025
- Sport
- The South African
Cameron Saaiman promises to bounce back from brutal UFC knockout
South Africa's MMA star Cameron Saaiman has promised to bounce back from his brutal knockout defeat at UFC Kansas City last weekend. Taking to social media on Wednesday, Saaiman spoke of a 'challenging last 12-18 months' and said he 'WILL bounce back'. Saaiman wrote: 'I would firstly like to thank each and every person who showed their support. I really appreciate you guys. 'To my team, family, friends and sponsors, 'Thank you for sticking by my side through a very challenging 12-18 months. I am deeply grateful to you guys for always being there through the highs and lows. 'I felt amazing in that cage. It felt like home. So it really pains me knowing that I could not live up to the expectations and standards that I set out for myself. 'I truly love this sport more than anything in the world and I will not allow these losses to define me. 'I know that I WILL bounce back from this. 'Thank you all ' Malcolm Wellmaker's right hand earned him a UFC contract and on Saturday night it earned him his first UFC victory. The 30-year-old bantamweight made a spectacular octagon debut at UFC Kansas City, needing less than two minutes to land a right hook that floored South African opponent Cameron Saaiman. Wellmaker was aggressive from the start, cutting off the cage in pursuit of Saaiman. When Saaiman attempted to punch his way off the fence, Wellmaker slipped the shots and countered with his own, landing square on Saaiman's chin and sending him crashing to the canvas. The official time of the stoppage was 1:59 into Round 1. Wellmaker, known as 'The Machine', improved to 9-0 as a professional. Meanwhile, Saaiman now finds himself in something of a slump after a 3-0 start to his UFC career. He is now heading in the opposite direction, having lost three straight fights. Whether he's given another UFC fight any time soon remains to be seen. Click HERE to watch the end of the fight Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1 Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
The South African
27-04-2025
- Sport
- The South African
Cameron Saaiman suffers brutal Round 1 KO on UFC return
Malcolm Wellmaker's right hand earned him a UFC contract and on Saturday night it earned him his first UFC victory. The 30-year-old bantamweight made a spectacular octagon debut at UFC Kansas City, needing less than two minutes to land a right hook that floored South African opponent Cameron Saaiman. Wellmaker was aggressive from the start, cutting off the cage in pursuit of Saaiman. When Saaiman attempted to punch his way off the fence, Wellmaker slipped the shots and countered with his own, landing square on Saaiman's chin and sending him crashing to the canvas. The official time of the stoppage was 1:59 into Round 1. Wellmaker, known as 'The Machine', improved to 9-0 as a professional. Meanwhile, Saaiman now finds himself in something of a slump after a 3-0 start to his UFC career. He is now heading in the opposite direction, having lost three straight fights. Whether he's given another UFC fight any time soon remains to be seen. Click HERE to watch the end of the fight Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1 Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
USA Today
27-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Video: Every finish from UFC Kansas City with those absurd Wellmaker and Brown finishes
Video: Every finish from UFC Kansas City with those absurd Wellmaker and Brown finishes Every knockout, submission from UFC Kansas City The finishes came fast and furiously in the opening salvo at UFC on ESPN 66 on Saturday. The first four fights in Kansas City, Mo., resulted in stoppages, including three knockouts. Three more truly vicious finishes came later in the show on the main card, as well. Now you can look back at all the finishes from the promotion's return to T-Mobile Center in the video above. UFC Kansas City stoppages
IOL News
27-04-2025
- Sport
- IOL News
Heartbreak for Cameron Saaiman as SA star suffers first-round knockout at UFC fight night
A dejected Cameron Saaiman reflects after his first-round defeat at UFC Fight Night: Machado Garry vs Prates in Kansas City. Photo: AFP Image: AFP The disappointment on his face was glaringly obvious as South Africa's UFC bantamweight athlete Cameron Saaiman lined up in the centre of the Octagon while world-renowned UFC ring announcer Bruce Buffer officially concluded the fight. Competing at UFC Fight Night: Machado Garry vs Prates at the T-Mobile Centre in Kansas City, Saaiman suffered a first-round knockout against UFC debutant Malcolm Wellmaker (USA) on the preliminary card of the show in Missouri, USA. Both bantamweights took a moment to make plenty of reads and measure their ranges before engaging early in the first round. Malcolm Wellmaker lands a huge KO with a PERFECT shot on Cameron Saaiman. Welcome to the UFC! 🔥#UFCKansasCity — Verdict (@VerdictMMA) April 26, 2025 South Africa's Saaiman stayed light on his feet on the outside with good foot movement, before targeting the legs of Wellmaker, who kept moving forward, calm and composed. As Wellmaker closed the distance between the two fighters, it was Saaiman who landed the first body shot with a left straight. Wellmaker, with the superior reach, unleashed a quick combination. Still, Saaiman showcased some beautiful head movement and slips that would have been very beneficial later on, had he maintained that sharpness, as Wellmaker is known for his extreme power. It was clear that Saaiman was aware of Wellmaker's plan to use his boxing and thus continued attacking the American's lead leg to try to neutralise his knockout ability. As the athletes moved towards the side of the cage, with Wellmaker controlling the space inside the Octagon, Wellmaker attacked Saaiman's body with a straight jab, which was countered by another lead leg attack from Saaiman. As the distance further closed, Wellmaker attempted to land another powerful hook to the body.
