Juan Diaz Submits Malcolm Wellmaker in UFC Debut Upset

Beating the favorite resets early plans for both men in the bantamweight queue.

Overview

Diaz finished Wellmaker by rear-naked choke at 4:08 of Round 2 on Saturday at the UFC’s Meta APEX in Las Vegas.
The win marked Diaz’s first UFC bout after earning a contract on Dana White’s Contender Series and riding an eight-fight streak.
Wellmaker entered as a -220 favorite at FanDuel and now takes a second straight setback after a November decision loss to Ethyn Ewing.
Former UFC champion Brandon Moreno worked Diaz’s corner, adding weight to the newcomer’s prospect buzz.
Speaking to Daniel Cormier through an interpreter, Diaz said he is a complete fighter with real wrestling, a message that could guide his next matchup.