Earlier today, Bleacher Report caught up with undefeated one-armed lightweight Nick Newell at Ultimate MMA in North Haven, Conn.
Newell is coming off his sixth straight victory, recently defeating Denis Hernandez in his promotional debut at XFC 15—Tribute. In less than two minutes into the first round, Newell secured a heel hook for the submission win.
In each of his fights, Newell has stopped his opponent in the first round with the latest victory being his fifth straight tap out.
The recent win is the biggest of Newell’s career as it marks his first televised appearance for XFC on HDNet. Newell has gained a new found popularity from the bout as footage from the fight has been viewed over a million times on YouTube.
However, the win is a bittersweet victory for the young fighter, as the event was made in tribute to his friend Abi Mestre, who won a contract to fight for XFC but died in April of this year after a fatal motorcycle accident.
“He’s with me every time I fight,” says Newell. “I always think about him every day.”
Born with out a fully developed left hand, Newell has silenced critics with his consistently outstanding performances and has proven to be a threat in the lightweight division.
Watch the video above as Newell talks about his latest victory, overcoming adversity, career aspirations and more.
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