The long-awaited UFC debut of Mandel Nallo arrived at UFC Winnipeg on Saturday, where the lightweight was paired up with Jai Herbert on the night’s main card.
Herbert was entering his 10th UFC fight, Nallo his first. Yet fans have long wanted to see “Rat Garbage” in the UFC, after a strong start to his career and a stint in Bellator that included a Knockout of the Year candidate at Bellator 207 that made it all the way to ESPN.
That long-awaited debut added an extra layer of intrigue to the matchup, with Nallo finally getting his chance to prove himself on the sport’s biggest stage. For Herbert, it was an opportunity to play spoiler and remind the division that experience still matters when the Octagon door closes.
When the fight started, Nallo was loose with the kicks, early going up high with the question mark kick. He was very aggressive early and dropped Herbert twice with a right hook, not even a minute in. When things looked as if the was going downhill for Herbert, he dropped Nallo with a right hand. Somehow, Nallo was able to use a leg lock to survive and get to his feet. He was still badly hurt. Herbert landed a left to the jaw, sitting down Nallo, and the GnP sent the ref in.
Official Result: Jai Herbert def. Mandel Nallo via R1 TKO (punches, GnP), 2:05
