Malcolm Wellmaker has booked his subsequent match. “The Machine” will face Otari Tanjilovy on October tenth at UFC META APEX.
The Rise of Malcolm Wellmaker:
This time final 12 months, Malcolm Wellmaker was one of many hottest names in MMA and was seen as a possible future star. He earned a UFC contract in 2024 by knocking out Adam Blumhard with a brutal proper hook on Dana White’s Contender Sequence. He carried that momentum into his promotional debut, stopping Cameron Theaiman with one other devastating proper hook within the first spherical.
Combating in entrance of his hometown crowd in Atlanta, Wellmaker improved to 2-0 with a knockout of Chris Moutinho in his opening spherical within the UFC. In three straight fights, his signature proper hook produced one other highlight-reel end.
3 video games. 3 first spherical knockouts. End 3 instances with the identical weapon. Followers shortly started to see Malcolm Wellmaker as a future bantamweight contender.
Malcolm Wellmaker: Is fraud checked?
Final November, Wellmaker was scheduled to face Serhiy Saidi at UFC 322 at Madison Sq. Backyard, a major step up within the competitors. The UFC clearly believed in his star potential and needed to showcase him on certainly one of their largest levels. Nevertheless, Saidi dislocated his shoulder and withdrew from the match.
The promotion then matched Wellmaker with Cody Haddon, a gifted wrestler who offered a very totally different fashion of problem. Every week earlier than the event, Haddon additionally broke his leg and was compelled to withdraw.
Decided to maintain Wellmaker on one of many largest playing cards of the 12 months, UFC Matchmaker made a hasty cope with regional standout Eshin Ewing. Ewing entered with an 8-2 skilled document, whereas Wellmaker, a comparatively unknown rookie, opened as a -420 favourite to win. The prediction was easy. Hopefully within the first spherical, he’ll end him along with his trademark proper hook and ship one other laborious knockout.
As an alternative, the battle unfolded in surprising style.
Ewing pushed an exhausting tempo from the opening bell, forcing Wellmaker to combat totally on the again foot. Each time the match took to the mat, Ewing persistently stayed one step forward along with his grappling exchanges. After three rounds, Ewing earned a unanimous resolution victory in his UFC debut, however many followers questioned if Wellmaker had been examined fraudulently.
His subsequent look did little to calm these considerations.
Wellmaker confronted one other UFC newcomer, this time in opposition to Dana White’s Contender Sequence alum Juan Diaz II. Diaz wasted little time in placing the combat to mattress, controlling the motion and securing a second spherical submission victory.
Our place:
Which brings us to at this time, with followers questioning Wellmaker’s true ceiling.
There isn’t a doubt that he has a fight-ending proper hand that may put anybody to sleep. There may be additionally little doubt that his grappling abilities stay a evident weak point. If Wellmaker hopes to crack the bantamweight rankings in the future, it is an space of his recreation that should enhance.
With all due respect, Otari Tanjilovy has taken a step again within the competitors.
Tanjilovi competed on Dana White’s Contender Sequence in 2024, shedding a break up resolution to Josias Msasa. After bouncing again with wins on the regional circuit, he signed with the UFC final month, however misplaced to Shane Collins in his promotional debut.
It is a essential battle for Wellmakers.
A win would assist them regain momentum and resume their rise to the highest of the rankings. However one other loss would persuade many followers that they overestimated his potential and that he will not be on the UFC degree.
The reserving additionally confirms that UFC’s October 10 occasion will happen at UFC META APEX. As of now, the one match introduced for this card is Wellmaker vs. Tanjilovy.
