Tommy McMillen defeats Marwan Rahiki in chaotic Noche UFC bout
Quick Look
Tommy McMillen defeated Marwan Rahiki via unanimous decision at Noche UFC after surviving a punishing second round and unleashing a dominant third round, improving his record and fueling his 'gangster' persona.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
Tommy McMillen and Marwan Rahiki were undefeated prospects facing off at Noche UFC, with both aiming to maintain their perfect records. McMillen had previously described his fighting style using a 'Grand Theft Auto' analogy.
Tommy McMillen's corner asked him to unleash the biggest gangster he could after a punishing second round. McMillen obliged, overwhelming Marwan Rahiki at Noche UFC and feeding the growing legend of Tommy "Gun."
It's not often that a fight between two prospects is the most anticipated on a UFC card. That's exactly what we got at Noche UFC as the undefeated prospects fought to erase the "0" from each other's records. It exceeded lofty expectations. McMillen and Rahiki embodied chaos and calmness, respectively, as expected, but both showed incredible resilience.
A competitive first round was only the warm-up. In Round 2, Rahiki blasted with an uppercut from Earth's core that had McMillen struggling for balance. Rahiki poured everything he had into the finish, rattling McMillen with combination punches and knees to the skull. Somehow, McMillen survived. Even more disturbingly, he smiled through it. By the time the second buzzer sounded, McMillen had won enough momentum back to avoid a 10-8 round.
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"I feel like I'm a real-life 'Grand Theft Auto' character," McMillen told CBS Sports in the lead-up to Saturday's fight. "I go on these heists for the UFC. I go cash bonuses, I go upgrade my car, I go upgrade my clothes, and upgrade my clothes, and upgrade my crib. I'm living life like a video game. I'm Player 1, and it's my time."
It wasn't just talk. Tim Welch, McMillen's coach, who also trains Sean O'Malley, demanded to see that gangster in Round 3. McMillen obliged, knocking down Rahiki and ragdolling him in the grappling exchanges. Rahiki's submission defense held up, but McMillen showed enough dominance to score a 10-8 on one judge's scorecard. The final tally read 29-28, 29-28, 29-27 in his favor.
"I'm a West Side gangster motherf---ers!" McMillen said in his post-fight speech from Glendale, Arizona. "I knew I could outdog him."
McMillen and Rahiki clearly have holes in their games. You don't often see such an exciting fight without defensive lapses. However, they showed incredible determination and skill for two fighters under 30. One can't help but think they'll meet again down the line with even more at stake.
What to Watch
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
Tommy McMillen and Marwan Rahiki will rematch in the future
Possible · Within months
Open Questions
- Will Tommy McMillen and Marwan Rahiki rematch in the future?
- How will this win affect Tommy McMillen's ranking in his division?
- What adjustments will Marwan Rahiki make after this loss?
