Mauricio Ruffy drew comparisons to a “young Conor McGregor” earlier tonight (Sat., May 4, 2024) at UFC 301 live on ESPN+ PPV from inside Farmasi Arena in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, when the lightweight prospect steamrolled veteran Jamie Mullarkey with a lopsided first-round TKO (punches).
Right off the bat you could tell Ruffy was levels above Mullarkey on the feet. The Brazilian prospect had a similar stance to McGregor’s and it allowed him to control his distance, pick his shots with precision, and almost land at will. His biggest attacks were a power right and hard leg kicks.
Ruffy continued to batter Mullarkey at every turn in the first round. He scored spinning head kicks, combinations upstairs, and badly had Mullarkey hurt. That’s about the time Din Thomas chimed in from cageside and proceeded to compare Ruffy to a young “Notorious.” It seemed like a far-fetched comparison, but moments later Ruffy was able to rush in and put the finishing touches on a violent TKO.
Check out the final moments below and let us know if you think Ruffy showed any similarities to an up-and-coming Conor McGregor:
YOU DON’T SEE A SCISSOR SWEEP EVERYDAY ??#UFC301 pic.twitter.com/R6qVDIhUy2
— UFC (@ufc) May 4, 2024
What a debut for Mauricio Ruffy!!!#UFC301
pic.twitter.com/kNRxosoIsO— MMA Mania (@mmamania) May 4, 2024
For complete UFC 301 results, coverage, and highlights click HERE.