When it comes to Nick Newell‘s long-term career prospects, most of his remaining skeptics have focused their argument on his striking limitations. After all, they say, Newell was only born with one hand. But that disability has yet to stop Newell’s forward progress. At Friday night’s XFC 19, striking was the difference between Newell and opponent David Mays. Only it was in his favor.
Newell battered Mays around with a powerful right hand and eventually put him away with a pair of knees from the clinch en route to a first-round TKO.
The official time of the stoppage was 2:01.
Newell (8-0) hurt Mays in the opening seconds of the bout, causing Mays to initiate a clinch. The two ended up on the mat with Newell on top, but Mays scrambled back to his feet instead of tangling with the submission threat. That turned out to be no haven for him, as Newell smashed him with a series of elbows before the finishing sequence.
Newell said in scouting Mays, he noticed that Mays often leaned downward, and was looking for an opportunity to capitalize on it.
“A lot of people said I couldn’t strike. Guess what? Welcome, here’s Nick Newell, the striker, for you guys,” he said after winning.
Mays had come into the fight with a 6-3 record with five wins by way of finish.
Afterward, the promotion teased that Newell would square off with Eric Reynolds (15-5) for the XFC lightweight title.