It took Fernando Padilla nearly two years from the time of his UFC signing to make his debut. Saturday, he finally made his first walk – and added a highlight to his reel.
Padilla (15-4 MMA, 1-0 UFC) defeated Julian Erosa (28-11 MMA, 6-7 UFC) via TKO due to punches at 1:41 of Round 1. The featherweight bout took place as part of the UFC Fight Night 223 main card at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.
The stoppage was controversial in the eyes of some, including Erosa who contested referee Chris Tognoni’s decision to step in. Erosa was dropped twice during a flurry of Padilla punches, nearly all of which landed. The final blow was a right hand, which put Erosa on the seat of his pants. Erosa popped up, but as he rose, Tognoni waved off the fight.
NOTHING BUT HEADSHOTS FROM PADILLA 👊💥 #UFCVegas72 pic.twitter.com/bpF4cP13xi
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) April 30, 2023
Padilla, 26, was signed during the filming of an episode of “Dana White: Lookin’ for a Fight” in May 2021. Due to visa issues, it took him 23 months to make his promotional debut. With the victory, Padilla extends his winning streak to three.
Erosa, 33, is in his third stint with the UFC. Since his most recent return to the promotion, Erosa has gone 5-3 with three finishes.
Up-to-the-minute UFC Fight Night 223 results include:
- Fernando Padilla def. Julian Erosa via TKO (punches) – Round 1, 1:41
- Marcos Rogerio def. Waldo Cortes-Acosta via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
- Trey Waters def. Josh Quinlan via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
- Martin Buday def. Jake Collier via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
- Cody Durden def. Charles Johnson via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
- Irina Alekseeva def. Stephanie Egger via submission (kneebar) – Round 1, 2:11
- Marcus McGhee def. Journey Newson via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 2, 2:03
- Jamey-Lyn Horth def. Hailey Cowan via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
