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At this point last year, Malcolm Wellmaker had yet to make his debut on MMA’s grandest stage. He’d have to wait around a few more months for a shot at a UFC promotional contract by way of season eight of Contender Series.
Last August, Wellmaker, nicknamed “The Machine” impressed UFC CEO Dana White by finishing off Adam Bramhald (13-3 MMA) with a first-round knockout on the Tuesday night MMA series. At the end of that evening’s program, White was interviewed backstage by Laura Sanko, during which time Malcolm Wellmaker secured his UFC deal.
Six months afterward, Wellmaker took to the famous Octagon for the first time under the UFC promotional banner during the UFC Kansas City undercard. That spring evening, he made short work of Cameron Saaiman (9-3 MMA, 3-3 UFC), stopping him inside the opening two minutes of the contest.
Malcolm Wellmaker Requests UFC Atlanta Fight, Scores Big Win in Second Promotional Fight
Following the fight, Malcolm Wellmaker used his post-fight interview to advocate for a place on the UFC Atlanta event from State Farm Arena on the night of June 15.
“Hey, UFC, Dana White, I don’t know who I’ve got to talk to, but in June, y’all [are] coming to Atlanta,” Malcolm Wellmaker said to Paul Felder on the broadcast that night. “That’s two hours from my house! Let’s make it happen!”
As the old adage goes, “Ask and ye shall receive.” On Saturday night, Malcolm Wellmaker’s wish was granted, as the native of nearby Augusta, the host city of golf’s Masters Tournament, made the walk for the most important “home game” of his young MMA career.
Over the weekend, he drew the assignment of returning competitor Kris Moutinho (14-7 MMA, 0-3 UFC) for the latter’s first fight in his second stint in the UFC. Moutinho was previously cut from the promotion in 2022. In short, Malcolm Wellmaker made his fellow Georgians ecstatic on Saturday night.
“The Machine” Scores Knockout in Opening Round
In the first round of a scheduled three on the ESPN+ undercard of UFC Atlanta, Malcolm Wellmaker stalked his opponent and peppered him with a kick to the leg before uncorking a vicious right hook to knock Moutinho down and out.
“Malcolm Wellmaker does it again, this time in Georgia,” exclaimed Brendan Fitzgerald, who was working Saturday night’s UFC Atlanta broadcast. This weekend’s finish by Wellmaker was his third stoppage inside the opening round of a contest dating back to his contract-winning appearance on Contender Series late last summer.
His bank account is heavier going into the new work week. During Saturday night’s UFC Atlanta post-fight press conference, Dana White awarded Wellmaker his second post-fight bonus since joining the UFC’s active roster by way of Contender Series last summer to the tune of $50,000 (USD) for the Performance of the Night Award.
Malcolm Wellmaker Meets with Media Following Sophomore Win in UFC
Malcolm Wellmaker’s UFC debut in April also resulted in a $50,000 bonus following the fight, subsequently resigning from his post as a welder a few days afterward. In the immediate aftermath of Saturday night’s victory, Wellmaker talked with the assembled press backstage at State Farm Arena about his finish on the prelims.
“I have absolute belief,” Malcolm Wellmaker began, “not just in my power, but in my precision and my timing and my ability to find that shot and set it up on anybody willing to play that game with me. Kris was willing to play that game with me.”
After an eight-month hiatus between fights upon scoring his UFC contract, Wellmaker has now won twice in under 60 days’ time. “The Machine” is hopeful to keep up his frenetic pace as the second half of 2025 looms.
“As active as I can be with the matchups that make sense,” Wellmaker told the media on Saturday night, I’m absolutely willing to get in there and keep doing what I’m doing. I’m healthy, the fights are going my way, I’m not taking much damage, and I’m on a roll.”
Final Thoughts
On this day last year, Malcolm Wellmaker was a couple of months away from touching down in Enterprise, NV for his bout against Adam Bramhald on Contender Series. A year later, he’s scored two quick finishes in the UFC.
“The Machine” has been working perfectly thus far in the sport of MMA with a 10-0 record and an 80 percent finish rate coming out of this past weekend’s UFC Atlanta. For Wellmaker, so long as he stays healthy and stays hungry, the sky is the limit.
No matter who his next opponent is, Wellmaker’s third appearance in the UFC is going to be a fight you won’t want to miss.
