You only get one Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) debut!
With the dust now settled, let’s hand out a grade to UFC 324’s lone rookie.
Ty Miller earned his UFC contract on Season 9 of Contender Series, and while that performance was dominant, it was largely forgettable. His official UFC debut, however, was anything but.
Tasked with opening the Paramount+ era against seasoned veteran, Adam Fugitt, Miller delivered a statement performance. From the opening bell, the two engaged in a gritty slugfest, trading heavy punches with kicks sprinkled in. Miller gradually began landing the cleaner, more damaging shots, using his length and boxing to wear down Fugitt.
Midway through the round, Fugitt briefly swung momentum back his way, cracking Miller with a spinning elbow and an uppercut that opened a cut. But, the surge was short-lived.
With little more than one minute remaining in the opening frame, Miller detonated a brutal right hand that dropped Fugitt, followed by ground-and-pound that had the veteran badly hurt. Fugitt survived momentarily, but Miller stayed composed. Seconds later, he landed another crushing right hand and a knee, forcing the referee to step in with just one second left in the round (watch highlights).
It was exactly the kind of performance Miller needed to stand out on a loaded card. His boxing is sharp, his kicks are sneaky, and while his defensive striking still has room for improvement, he compensates well with reach, timing and confidence.
The 25-year-old remains undefeated (7-0) with three knockouts, owning a notable win over Eric Nolan, who later stepped in on short notice against top prospect, Baisangur Susurkaev, and held his own.
Looking ahead, a matchup with Andreas Gustafsson would be fun and test his grappling.
