France’s Tom Duquesnoy is one of the best prospects in mixed martial arts and he made a successful UFC debut at a Fight Night event in Kansas City, Mo., Saturday.
The “Fire Kid” improved to 15-1 as a pro with a TKO victory over Patrick Williams.
The 23-year-old bantamweight trains out of Albuquerque, N.M., at the famed Jackson Wink MMA Academy and had to overcome some adversity early in his first UFC bout.
Williams rocked Duquesnoy with a right hand three minutes into the first round, opening a cut over his left eye, but the Frenchman maintained his composure and did his best work late in the round. He began landing knees to the body and elbows in the clinch, sending Williams to the canvas at the bell.
Duquesnoy continued to put pepper his opponent with strikes as the second round began and put Williams away with more elbows just 28 seconds into the stanza.
“I feel my knees and elbows are some of my best weapons,” said Duquesnoy, who explained he feels his Muay Thai-style elbows are an effective technique for him to use when he fights wrestlers like Williams.
Duquesnoy is the most highly-touted European MMA prospect to debut in the UFC since Conor McGregor made the move to North America back in 2013.
The UFC attempted to sign Duquesnoy back when he was 19 but the fighter declined the offer because he felt he didn’t have a refined enough skill set. That level of maturity is another reason why so many in the MMA community feel the sky is the limit for Duquesnoy.
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