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Tommy McMillen Is Turning Doubters Into Believers
All-Action Featherweight Is Silencing The Haters And Proving Himself Right, While Building A Reputation As One Of The UFC’s Most Exciting Prospects.
Just two fights into the UFC, Tommy McMillen is already experiencing a lot of what the sport’s top fighters have to contend with on a daily basis, and he’s taking it all in his stride. Dana White’s Contender Series graduate McMillen has fought twice under the UFC banner so far, with his first-round finish of Manolo Zecchini followed three months later with a standing TKO finish of Alberto Montes in July.
Both wins saw McMillen bank $100,000 bonus checks as he immediately introduced himself to the wider world as an exciting newcomer to the talent-stacked welterweight division. After his victory over Montes, McMillen used his post-fight interview to call for his next opportunity, as he called for a fight at Noche UFC against a Mexican opponent.
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He got half his wish granted.
McMillen is all set to compete at Noche UFC in Glendale, Arizona, on Saturday night although his opponent isn’t Mexican. Instead, he’ll face fellow undefeated prospect Marwan “Freaky” Rahiki, a Moroccan-born, Australia-based fighter whose exciting fighting style has already won him plenty of admirers.
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“I didn't get a Mexican, but it’s close enough, and I like this matchup a lot,” said McMillen. “You know, Marwan didn't even want to take this fight. He got the call, and he asked for October or November because he was doing some little celebration for beating up some 5-2 bum on short notice… I broke a world record, cashed another $100k bonus, and I was already back to work that following Monday. So, I'm just hungrier than these other guys. The only reason they call me out is because they have nothing better to do. That's what they're supposed to do.
“I'm the kid with the platform. I'm being my authentic self, and it's working. These people don't know how to make a name for themselves, so they have to call me out.”
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One of the major reasons for wanting a quick turnaround was the chance to fight close to home. McMillen swapped his home state of Montana for Arizona when he moved to join up with coach Tim Welch at his Red Hawk Academy gym in Peoria. McMillen’s performances eventually alerted the UFC’s matchmakers, who invited him to compete on Dana White’s Contender Series. One win later, he was in the UFC, following in the footsteps of his Red Hawk teammate and mentor, former bantamweight champion Sean O’Malley. Now he wants to showcase his skills in his adopted home state.
“It's a privilege to be able to go out there and perform in front of my second home next to Montana, Arizona,” he said. “I've been living out here for 10 years, and the people of Arizona deserve a fighter like me on the card. Every time I fight, you know it's fireworks. People want to see me fight. I cash $100k bonuses, and I break world records, and you know the fans are in for a treat.”
Tommy McMillen Overwhelms Alberto Montes For Round 3 TKO | UFC Oklahoma City
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Tommy McMillen Overwhelms Alberto Montes For Round 3 TKO | UFC Oklahoma City
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When McMillen steps into the Octagon to face Rahiki on Saturday night, just 57 days will have passed since his last UFC appearance. Sometimes, going from one fight straight into another fight camp can be a grueling experience. But for McMillen, it’s exactly what he needed, and he’s happy to be able to make the quick turnaround with his second fight in less than two months.
WATCH: Tommy McMillen's Fight Week Interview
“Yeah, I think it's pretty easy,” he said “I lose my mind when I'm not fighting and I don't have a fight booked. It's either partying or fighting for me, and so I'm thankful that I was able to just stay on track and know that I was going to get the call for Noche. I was right back in the gym Monday morning after my fight, and I'm in the best shape of my life.”
McMillen’s fighting style has already seen him attract plenty of followers. But his matter-of-fact approach hasn’t been universally popular. As is always the case in combat sports, there are always haters just around the corner. Rather than treat them as irritants, McMillen sees them as part of the fight game and is determined to just continue being himself. He might even win a few of them over along the way, too.
“Every fight, doubters are turning into believers. But at the end of the day, you're not going to please everybody,” he said. “They're going to doubt me all the way to the top when I'm champion, I have two belts, I'm still breaking world records, still cashing $100k bonuses. I'm lucky enough to come up under ‘Suge’ and see his whole come-up, and people have doubted him all the way from the top, and still do. So, I'm never really worried about it, but it is fun proving people wrong.”
MORE NOCHE UFC: Alexa Grasso Back on the Hunt for Gold | Fight By Fight Preview | Fighters On The Rise | Jose Miguel Delgado Everything Has Built To This Moment | Jean Silva Living In His Own Madness
That determination to just focus on his progress comes from watching O’Malley’s path to the top of the UFC, complete with both fans and haters along the way. The former bantamweight champion, plus Welch, have imparted their experience and wisdom to McMillen, who has stayed true to their advice.
Tommy McMillen called for this opportunity at #NocheUFC and now he's ready to make the most of it!
— UFC (@ufc) September 8, 2026
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“[It’s] Just the constant reminder that him and Tim are always giving me just to be grateful,” he said. “Unfortunately, I won't be able to fight forever, and this is truly what I love to do. I never feel more alive than during these fight weeks, and the buildups and the fight night. I really do love it more than anything, and I'm just trying to be grateful and live in the present moment and just be thankful to have the opportunity to go perform and showcase my art to the world.”
McMillen’s matchup with Rahiki is one of the standout bouts on the Noche UFC fight card this weekend, with plenty of eyeballs set to be fixed on the screen when the pair throw down inside the Octagon. For McMillen, it’s another chance to complete, to win, to earn another bonus, and to prove his doubters wrong.
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“I don't really pay attention to what people say about me after my performances,” he said. “Even all the love and praise, the hate, you can't get attached to any of it. But, like I said, I do love proving people wrong. It's funny to me. I like trolling people. I like s******* on all these haters that use my name for clout.
“I'm gonna go out there, I'm gonna shut a lot of people up for the night, I'm gonna go party my ass off, enjoy some pizza, some cheeseburgers, some beer, and I'm gonna have a little night of peace.”
Noche UFC: Silva vs Delgado took place live from Desert Diamond Arena In Glendale, Arizona on September 12, 2026. See the final Prelim & Main Card Results, Official Scorecards and Who Won Bonuses - and relive the action on UFC FIGHT PASS!
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