UFC on ESPN 7 rookie report: Grading the newcomers in Washington D.C.
Fighters from around the globe dream of the day they’ll step into the UFC octagon for the first time. For four athletes, Saturday’s UFC on ESPN 7 event marked that special moment in their career.
Check out this week’s rookie report to see what kind of first impression those fighters made on the sport’s biggest stage from Capital One Arena in Washington D.C.
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Mallory Martin
Mallory Martin
Division: Strawweight
Result: Virna Jandiroba def. Mallory Martin via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 2, 1:16
Record: (6-3 MMA, 0-1 UFC)
Grade: C+
Mallory Martin came in on short notice to face former Invicta FC champ Virna Jandiroba at Saturday’s card, so it’s easy to write off some of her shortcomings – and while she didn’t look fantastic in her UFC debut, let’s not forget that Jandiroba came into this contest ranked No. 11 in the latest USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie strawweight rankings.
In short, the deck was stacked against Martin, a four-time Invicta FC veteran who also owns a win under the Dana White’s Contender Series banner, as well. To her credit, Martin tried to make the fight exciting, flashing her impressive striking skills during the brief moments she remained upright. But Jandiroba’s perfectly timed takedowns saw her get to the floor early and often, and once she got on the back, the Brazilian’s submission attack was sublime.
Stylistically, there are better matchup available for Martin in the division, so she’ll hope for someone looking to strike in her next time out. A proper training camp will likely help, as well, so while she didn’t necessarily look phenomenal in her debut, don’t close the book on Martin just yet.
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