SHARE
Duquesnoy
Tom Duquesnoy BAMMA 18. BAMMA / Marc Moggridge 2016. No unauthorised use without written consent.

After months of hype surrounding the UFC debut of Tom Duquesnoy, the “Firekid” made an impactful start to his tenure, stopping Patrick Williams in the second round of their fight in Kansas City.

One of the featured preliminary card bouts on UFC on FOX 24, it was a nervy start for the Frenchman at the Sprint Center, as American wrestler Williams began strong, sweeping Duquesnoy on multiple occasions in the first round.

Williams continued to swarm his opponent, showing no ring rust, despite it being his first fight since June 2015, when he beat Alejandro Perez. Regardless of Duquesnoy being the overwhelming 10-1 favorite, Williams showed his ignorance for the hype train, stumbling the 23-year-old with a straight right hand half way through the first round, piercing the skin above Duquesnoy’s left eye.

However, this would be “The Animal’s” least real offensive chance, as he began to fatigue which allowed Duquesnoy to find his rhythm.

The JacksonWink MMA fighter began to close down Williams, and he had a huge chance to finish the bout in the dying seconds of the first round, landing three sharp and short elbows which dropped the American, who was fortunately, saved by the buzzer.

Duquesnoy sniffed a finish, and similarly to how he captured the BAMMA bantamweight championship against Shay Walsh, “Firekid” used his trademark elbow to drop Williams, claiming the knockout finish just 28 seconds into the second round. 

https://twitter.com/UFCEurope/status/853387520561762304

It was by no means an easy win, and the Octagon jitters were abundant at the start of the fight, but the growing potential of Duquesnoy shone brightly in Kansas City.

In his post-fight interview with Brian Stann, Duquesnoy admitted he that he has a lot of work ahead, but credited his ‘European’ elbows for the victory. 

“I’ve always been very good with the elbow,” claimed the Frenchman after his debut UFC victory. “That’s kind of a European style, thai style that I’m trying to get because in the USA, a lot of good wrestler, so If I can use it like kind of an anti-wrestling game, I have to keep it because I felt my knee and my elbow are one of my best weapons.” 

The win for the two-weight European champion marks 12 fights unbeaten for Duquesnoy, who will surely be fast tracked up the bantamweight division as one of the promotion’s hottest young talents.