Kody Steele made a statement at UFC Perth, submitting hometown fighter Dom Mar Fan with a first-round inverted heel hook on the prelims at RAC Arena in Perth, Australia.
Steele entered the bout as the oddsmakers' favorite despite having lost his own Octagon debut to Rong Zhu in February 2025, while Mar Fan came in riding momentum from a win in his January Octagon debut.
After a tense opening frame against an opponent noted as being dangerous both standing and on the ground, Steele secured the heel hook late in the first round and forced Mar Fan to tap, earning only the second submission of his career.
The bout was part of the "Prelims" and featured Steele, who had just one prior submission on his record before this fight, overcoming the local favorite often referred to as "Street Buddha."
