Tommy McMillen celebrated for three days straight after winning his UFC debut and earning a $100,000 performance bonus, saying he barely remembers the first night. He and his friends partied through Saturday night, spent Sunday at the pool and at an Italian restaurant, and he went without sleep through a packed interview schedule — including a sit-down with Michael Bisping — before finally crashing on Tuesday. McMillen won his debut by TKO in under four minutes back in April and is set to fight Alberto Montes, who debuted in the UFC in March with a submission victory.
Unbeaten prospect Tommy McMillen went three consecutive days without sleep following his UFC debut victory in April, celebrating a winning start to his Octagon career and a $100,000 performance bonus before reality eventually caught up with him.
McMillen, 28, told the story of a celebration that spiraled well beyond a single night out. Saturday's post-fight party was so intense he says he barely remembers it. Sunday brought a pool session and a meal at an Italian restaurant with friends, and a packed run of media obligations — including a sit-down interview with former middleweight champion Michael Bisping — kept him going through Monday. He finally slept on Tuesday. The American stands a perfect 10-0-0, training out of Fight Ready, and his striking numbers hint at why the UFC took notice: he lands nearly ten significant strikes per minute at a 53 percent accuracy rate, a combination of volume and precision that is rare at any level.
His next opponent, Alberto Montes, carries his own momentum into the matchup. The 32-year-old, nicknamed "The Promise," made his UFC entrance in March with a submission victory and now holds a 12-1-0 record. Montes is a notably shorter fighter at five-foot-seven with a 69-inch reach, compared to McMillen's six-foot frame and 74-inch reach. Where McMillen generates his damage through striking volume, Montes leans heavily on grappling, averaging 9.8 submission attempts per 15 minutes — an extraordinarily high rate that signals where he intends to take the fight.
Why it matters
- McMillen's perfect record and eye-catching striking output make him one of the more talked-about new arrivals in his division
- Montes's submission rate sets up a sharply contrasting style clash: a high-volume striker against a submission specialist
- Both fighters enter off debut wins, meaning one will build early momentum at the expense of the other's unbeaten UFC start
Saturday, August 15, 2026
