Debuting UFC lightweight Jordan Leavitt made a big impression at UFC Vegas 16 on Saturday night as he finished his opponent in just 22 seconds, then consoled his opponent’s wife after the fight.
Leavitt, whose smooth striking helped him to a victory on Dana White’s Contender Series to earn him a contract with the UFC, made his octagon debut against seasoned veteran Matt Wiman on Saturday night in Las Vegas.
The fight didn’t last long at all, with Leavitt picking up his opponent and, after carrying across the cage to his own corner, slammed him down onto the canvas.
The slam knocked out Wiman instantly and, spotting that his opponent was out cold, Leavitt backed away immediately as the referee moved in to officially stop the fight.
OH MY GOODNESS! ? @JoJo_MonkeyKing gets the SLAM KO, seconds into the bout! [ Main card continues on #ESPNPlus & ESPN2 ] pic.twitter.com/yP5oF907LE
The whole thing took just 22 seconds, and gave Leavitt a memorable win on his UFC debut. It also saw him earn a $50,000 Performance of the Night bonus.
But, rather than simply reveling in his incredible debut win, Leavitt showed his class by briefly leaving the octagon and consoling Wiman’s wife outside the cage, offering some words of support before the pair shared a hug.
Dirty Dancing!? ?This may be a first for celebrations inside the Octagon. #UFCVegas16pic.twitter.com/nhnmucSolh
Leavitt, whose fighting moniker is “The Monkey King,” then returned to the cage for the official result and celebrated with a Dirty Dancing-inspired move with one of his coaches.
Not bad for a first UFC appearance!
