Tommy McMillen made a statement in his promotional debut at UFC Vegas 115, scoring a first-round knockout of Manolo Zecchini and walking away with a $100,000 performance bonus.
The Vegas-based event saw McMillen waste little time in his first UFC appearance, finishing Zecchini inside the opening frame to secure both the win and a six-figure reward.
McMillen, who trains alongside UFC star Sean O'Malley, made it clear he sees himself on a fast track toward the top. “I’m living player one mode in my life and my dream fight is whoever has the f--king belt when I’m there and ready to get it,” he said. “And I think that’s going to be a lot quicker than most people realize. We’ll be there soon.”
Looking ahead, McMillen expressed a desire to eventually hold a title at 145 pounds while O'Malley regains a title at 135 pounds. He referenced O'Malley’s ambitions involving former champion Petr Yan, saying, “I know he wanted to fight Petr Yan at the White House” and adding, “He’s the guy that beat Petr Yan. He has a bad style that I don’t think is really good for Petr Yan. I think he ends up fighting Petr Yan soon, gets his belt back, and I’ll be ready for the belt next year, 100%.”
McMillen also has his sights set on one of MMA’s biggest stages. “I’m a modern day gladiator and I enjoy this s--t. So, 100% I would love to fight in the T-Mobile Arena. I love Vegas. I’m a gambler. I’m going to go hit the blackjack table tonight, eat some pizza, hit the clubs, pop some bottles. I love Vegas. This is where I’m meant to fight.”
