LAS VEGAS – Rhys McKee beat Daniel Frunza with a first-round TKO Saturday on the preliminary card at UFC on ESPN 65 on the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.
Have a look contained in the struggle with McKee, whose first UFC win additionally got here with a $50,000 efficiency bonus.
Rhys McKee def. Daniel Frunza
End result: Rhys McKee def. Daniel Frunza by way of TKO (physician’s stoppage) – Spherical 1, 5:00
Up to date information: McKee (14-6-1 MMA, 1-4 UFC), Frunza (9-3 MMA, 0-1 UFC)
Key stats: McKee knocked Frunza down 4 instances within the first spherical.
McKee on the struggle’s key second
“We knew this was a must-win struggle. If I misplaced, I’d in all probability have my launch papers by now. This was a must-win. And guess what the following one is? A must-win – no totally different. … (the sport plan was) vicious – be vicious. Any likelihood I might harm him, as many instances as I might, stress, drown him, make him exhausted – and when the possibility was there, the end got here. We needed to get it achieved by way of injury tonight, however win No. 14 – 14th end.”
Skeletor wins it! 😤
🇮🇪@RhysMcKee earns his first-ever UFC victory by way of physician’s stoppage! #UFCVegas105 pic.twitter.com/kwKAY71ZS7
— UFC_Asia (@UFC_Asia) April 6, 2025
McKee on getting his first UFC win
“It’s a reduction. 4 instances, I’ve been right here within the UFC and 4 instances I’ve needed to get the bus residence early. I’ve all the time wished to return to this (post-fight information convention) desk, so to be here’s a reduction. Nevertheless it’s not job achieved – it’s job began.
“… To be sincere, I assumed my UFC alternative had slipped away. Once I received the shot at No. 5, I assumed ‘That is my golden ticket. That is the time when all of it adjustments’ I simply believed in myself. My coaches believed in me on the times I didn’t imagine in myself.”
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – APRIL 05: (L-R) Rhys McKee of Northern Eire punches Daniel Frunza of Romania of their welterweight struggle throughout the UFC Struggle Night time occasion at UFC APEX on April 05, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photograph by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC)
McKee on what he desires subsequent
“(I spent) two weeks in Las Vegas. I introduced my spouse, introduced my daughter … spent two weeks within the (UFC Efficiency Institute). There ain’t nothing robust about it. It’s a hell of a life. Like we stated this week, if you’d like these things, you need to win the struggle. We received the struggle. I’d love my subsequent struggle to be in Vegas. I completely like it. The PI is incredible.”
“This win has been 14 years within the making.”
Rhys McKee (@RhysMcKee) notches his first win contained in the Octagon with a powerful efficiency over Daniel Frunza at #UFCVegas105
Prelim Outcomes ➡️ https://t.co/As4oxIRkrQ
— UFC Information (@UFCNews) April 6, 2025
To listen to extra from McKee, try the video of the complete post-fight interview above.
For extra on the cardboard, go to MMA Junkie’s occasion hub for UFC on ESPN 65.
Make sure to go to the MMA Junkie Instagram web page and YouTube channel to debate this and extra content material with followers of combined martial arts.
