Jai Herbert turned a disastrous start into a dramatic finish, stopping Mandel Nallo by knockout on the main card of UFC Fight Night 273 at Canada Life Centre in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.
Herbert was dropped three times by Nallo in the opening round before rallying to score the knockout and hand the debuting fighter a loss in his first UFC appearance. The result moved Herbert’s professional record to 14-6-1 MMA and 4-5-1 in the UFC.
“I still had my wits about me when he was hitting me, but I just had the will,” Herbert said after the comeback finish. “I made a decision when I got in there that was going to win, so that's what was happening. He kept dropping me, but he had to put me clean out or I was going to get the win.”
Herbert, who described himself as a veteran with years of experience, believes the performance will raise his profile. “It puts me out there. It's a big win. A lot of people see that, and people want to see me fight again. Hopefully I'll get back out there in the summer and put on a good fight. I've been doing this for years. I'm a veteran. I've got the skills, I've got the heart, I've got the belief. It just shows what I'm about.”
