Lucas Fernando's UFC debut couldn't have gone much better.
The Brazilian light heavyweight shared the octagon at UFC 330 with Rafael Tobias at Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia. Fernando (14-3 MMA, 1-0 UFC) turned heads with a stellar striking display, leading to a finish of Tobias (14-3 MMA, 0-2 UFC) at 1:10 of Round 3.
Three years ago, Fernando attempted to punch his UFC ticket with an appearance on Dana White's Contender Series. He lost a unanimous decision that night, and then lost his next fight in LFA. However, since then, he steadily improved and ripped through his next four opponents, leading to the UFC giving him a call.
While his road to the UFC wasn't as smooth as planned, the product that arrived at UFC 330 looked much more polished than the fighter who appeared on DWCS. Fernando styled on Tobias with a wide array of striking techniques, landing virtually everything he threw. It was a stellar display that had the commentary team gushing over his potential.
The finish came early in the third round after a sharp knee to the body caused Tobias to fold over in pain. The follow-up punches prompted the referee to stop the action.