McMillen Survives, Drops Rahiki at Noche UFC — SkimNews
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- Tommy McMillen defeated Marwan Rahiki by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-27) at Noche UFC, erasing Rahiki's undefeated record while keeping his own intact
- Rahiki nearly finished McMillen in Round 2 with a devastating uppercut followed by combination punches and knees to the head, but McMillen survived and clawed back enough momentum to avoid a 10-8 round
- McMillen flipped the fight in Round 3 at the urging of his coach Tim Welch (who also trains Sean O'Malley), knocking down Rahiki and ragdolling him in grappling exchanges to earn a 10-8 on one judge's scorecard
- McMillen told CBS Sports pre-fight he lives 'like a video game' as a 'real-life Grand Theft Auto character,' then delivered a post-fight speech in Glendale declaring 'I'm a West Side gangster' after outlasting Rahiki
- The source flagged defensive holes in both fighters but expects a rematch down the line with more at stake, given both are under 30 and produced a fight the article calls 'the most anticipated on a UFC card'
Why it matters: McMillen proved he can absorb a near-finish and come back, the kind of resilience that separates UFC mainstays from one-hit prospects. Both fighters are under 30 and just traded knockdowns in a bout the source calls the card's most anticipated — setting up a marketable rematch that could anchor a future UFC event.
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