Former Glory kickboxing champion Cedric Doumbe is off to a great start in his young MMA career, earning a first-round finish over Arbi Emiev in his debut with Superkombat Universe on Monday.
Doumbe announced his transition from kickboxing to MMA earlier this year, and it excited the fans who have long wanted to see how he would match up with MMA veterans. Doumbe provided them with a profound answer and a first-round TKO, showcasing diversity on the feet and overwhelming Emiev.
Check out the incredible knockout below.
Cedric Doumbe’s transition to MMA from kickboxing is off to a great start
Doumbe earned the Glory Kickboxing welterweight championship twice in his career in the ring, with five title defenses. He competed against the likes of Brad Riddell and Alan Scheinson over his illustrious career and is widely regarded as one of the best kickboxers ever.
His trilogy with Murthel Groenhart is widely regarded as one of the best trilogies in kickboxing history, as Doumbe knocked out Groenhart at Glory 77 in the rubber match. Shortly after, he announced his intentions to sign with an MMA promotion and begin a new chapter of his combat sports career.
Doumbe joins former Glory colleague Alex Pereira with their transitions to MMA. The UFC signed Pereira earlier this year to their middleweight division and is the only man to knock out Israel Adesanya.
Doumbe is yet another big name to fight out of Cameroon, joining UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou.
At just 29 years old, there’s no telling just how far Doumbe could go in his MMA career. Fans have clamored for the UFC to sign him, but it appears the promotion is waiting for him to gain more experience before that happens.
Regardless, expect big things from Doumbe going forward, with some of the most technical striking in the world.
How far do you think Cedric Doumbe could go in MMA?