Tommy McMillen made a statement in his first walk to the Octagon, scoring a first-round knockout of Manolo Zecchini on the UFC Vegas 115 main card in Las Vegas on Saturday and immediately setting his sights on a quick return.
The recent Contender Series featherweight signing improved his professional record to 10-0, with all but one of those wins coming by knockout or submission, and collected a $100,000 Fight of the Night bonus for his debut performance.
Asked about dream matchups, McMillen kept the focus on his own path. “I’ve been asked that question a lot, do I have a dream fight, but I just don’t really look at other fighters that much,” he said. “I’m living Player 1 mode in my life and my dream fight is whoever has the f*cking belt when I’m there and ready to get it. And I think that’s going to be a lot quicker than most people realize. We’ll be there soon.”
McMillen, who has long trained with former UFC bantamweight champion Sean O’Malley and Tim, turned professional in 2019 and says he’s already built a strong following in Las Vegas. “People love to come watch me fight. I have a big fanbase. I’m blessed coming up under Sean and Tim and just the authentic fanbase that I’ve built by being myself.”
Targeting a return on a UFC numbered event in Las Vegas in July, McMillen made it clear where he wants to perform. “So, 100 percent I would love to fight in the T-Mobile Arena. I love Vegas… This is where I’m meant to fight.”
