In a short-notice change to the UFC 322 preliminary card, Cody Haddon pulled out of his fight with Malcolm Wellmaker due to injury, one day after appearing before the media. With 24 hours or so to go until weigh-ins, in stepped Ethyn Ewing, salvaging Wellmaker’s spot on the card but understandably shifting the fight up a weight class.
Ewing had already fought earlier this month, making it a very short turnaround on top of short notice.
Round one started with Ewing pressing the action early. He walked right into a perfectly timed counter check left hook from Wellmaker that nearly dropped him, but Ewing recovered quickly and fired back. They clinched, and Wellmaker attempted a trip, only for Ewing to respond with a clean throw. Wellmaker immediately bounced back and pinned Ewing against the cage. Ewing separated and landed a sharp combination on the break, ending the round strong with a series of knees from the clinch.
In round two, Ewing came out sharp, slipping and countering while maintaining constant pressure. He landed a clean head kick, which Wellmaker absorbed without issue. Wellmaker managed to land a solid strike, but midway through the round, Ewing began stringing together combinations, mixing punches and kicks to keep Wellmaker guessing. Wellmaker landed a hook to the body that appeared to wind Ewing slightly, but Ewing responded by turning up the pace, forcing Wellmaker to chase him. Despite missing several shots, Wellmaker landed another body hook, and Ewing countered with a brief takedown attempt. Wellmaker connected with a spinning elbow, grazing Ewing.
In the final round, Wellmaker kept pressing, targeting the body with left hooks and kicks. He landed isolated strikes, while Ewing fired in flurries, staying busy and aggressive. In the final two minutes, Wellmaker focused on maintaining distance, picking at range and attempting a takedown, which Ewing successfully sprawled. Ewing kept the pressure on, gradually turning up the heat. He landed a devastating knee to the head in the clinch and secured a takedown under a minute to go. Wellmaker scrambled back to his feet and swung until the final bell, but Ewing’s sustained aggression and striking flurries dominated the closing moments.
In the end, Ethyn Ewing pulled off the short-notice upset, earning a unanimous decision victory just a week after earning a title in Urijah Faber’s A1 Combat promotion. Not a bad way to head into the holiday season for the 27-year old.
Official Result: Ethyn Ewing def. Malcolm Wellmaker by unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
