Charlie Campbell scored the first big highlight of the Noche UFC card when he spoiled the return of Alex Reyes with a brutal knockout.
Reyes (12-4 MMA, 0-2 UFC) was making his return to competition after nearly six years on the sidelines due to health complications. Campbell (8-2 MMA, 1-0 UFC) made him look out of his element from the outset of the lightweight bout at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
Campbell stunned Reyes multiple times before a huge right hand led to a knockdown and the finishing sequence at the 3:38 mark of Round 1.
Check out the replay below (via X):
CHARLIE CAMPBELL IS A BAAAAD MAN 😳
Wins his Octagon debut with a huge knockout! #NocheUFC pic.twitter.com/suYlUk7Uzx
— UFC (@ufc) September 16, 2023
After the fight, Campbell gave a charismatic post-fight interview with Daniel Cormier where he impersonated Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson.
“The UFC jitters are only real if you believe in them,” Campbell said. “I told myself, ‘I’m not going to get nervous.’ So I didn’t get nervous. It’s that simple. Stop believing in it just like they did on the regional scene.
“What did you think of my boxing?” Campbell asked Cormier, who began to pull the microphone to answer. “It doesn’t matter what you think! It doesn’t matter what you think. Shout out to Dwayne Johnson, The Rock. I’m a huge fan. Put me in a movie or something.”
Charlie Campbell pulled a page from @TheRock's playbook on @DC_MMA 😂 #NocheUFC pic.twitter.com/sM0gtrDCGp
— UFC (@ufc) September 17, 2023
Up-to-the-minute Noche UFC results include:
- Charlie Campbell def. Alex Reyes via TKO (punches) – Round 1, 3:38
- Josefine Knutsson def. Marnic Mann via unanimous decision (30-24, 30-25, 30-27)
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for Noche UFC.
