UFC debuts occur on almost every fight card throughout the year but very rarely is there a fighter debuting that has had the attention of the MMA fans years before signing with the UFC. More often than not, a big debut occurs when a fighter either comes from success in another big promotion (Pride, Bellator, Strikeforce, WEC) or sport. The three fighters on this list made their UFC debuts with the highest levels of expectations and excitement from the fans.
3. Alistair Overeem UFC 141
When Overeem joined the UFC, he was widely regarded as one of the best heavyweights in the world. Overeem was riding an 11-fight unbeaten streak in MMA and a five-fight unbeaten streak in kickboxing. Outside the UFC, Overeem racked up many accomplishments like becoming the Dream heavyweight champion, Strikeforce heavyweight champion, 2010 K-1 heavyweight kickboxing world grand Prix winner. With all the accolades, Overeem had fans speculated about how he would do against some of the top heavyweights in the UFC.
Overeem’s debut took place at UFC 141 against Brock Lesnar in a blockbuster mega fight. Lesnar is a former UFC heavyweight champion and a household name that can sell pay-per-views along with the hype of Overeem’s debut.
According to The Wrestling Observer, Lesnar versus Overeem accumulated 750,000 to 800,000 pay-per-view buys. The event ranked in the top 15 UFC pay-per-views of all time. Overeem won his long-awaited debut by TKO due to Knees and a Body kick in the very first round.
2. Brock Lesnar UFC 81
Brock Lesnar made his debut a little under four years after his last match in the WWE. Lesnar’s work with the top professional wrestling company in the world made him a household name and set him up for future UFC PPV headlining success.
Lesnar’s big debut came against former UFC heavyweight champion Frank Mir in a co-headlining position, but Lesnar versus Mir was the expected biggest draw. There was speculation that the pay-per-view was increased from $39.95 to $44.95 because of Lesnar’s highly anticipated debut.
The event featuring Lesnar’s debut did an approximate 650,000 pay-per-view buys, according to Wrestling Observer’s Dave Meltzer. At that moment in time, the pay-per-view was the third-highest-grossing event in the history of the UFC. Although Lesnar was the betting favorite, he lost to Frank Mir via kneebar in the first round.
1. Ronda Rousey UFC 157
Before Ronda Rousey step foot in the UFC octagon, she was the Women’s Bantamweight champion in another big promotion called Strikeforce. Zuffa, who is the UFC’s parent company, bought the company Strikeforce in 2011, and along came their assets.
When the companies merged, some of the fighters started to make the jump to the UFC. Rousey was one of the biggest and most important signings the UFC made during the merger because she was the first-ever women signed and Women’s UFC champion. This came as a shock to some because UFC president Dana White famously uttered these words “Women will never fight in the UFC.”
All in all, the stage set for the first-ever women’s fight and first UFC women’s title fight at UFC 157 with Rousey matching up against number one contender Liz Carmouche. Rousey’s UFC debut did an approximate 500,000 buys, according to the Los Angeles Times. A star was born that night when Rousey submitted Carmouche via armbar in the first round.
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