{"id":348379,"date":"2025-12-14T23:03:20","date_gmt":"2025-12-14T23:03:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/348379\/"},"modified":"2025-12-14T23:03:20","modified_gmt":"2025-12-14T23:03:20","slug":"rookie-report-card-grading-ufc-vegas-112-octagon-newcomers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/348379\/","title":{"rendered":"Rookie Report Card: Grading UFC Vegas 112 Octagon Newcomers"},"content":{"rendered":"

You only get one Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) debut.<\/p>\n

Seven rookies stepped into the Octagon this past weekend (Sat., Dec. 13, 2025) at UFC Vegas 112<\/a>, which went down inside the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada. UFC\u2019s newest batch of talent finished with a 4-3 record.<\/p>\n

There were some impressive debuts \u2026 and a few absolute stinkers.<\/p>\n

Now that the dust has settled, let\u2019s hand out some grades.<\/p>\n

\"LAS<\/a><\/p>\n

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – DECEMBER 13: (L-R) Yaroslav Amosov of Ukraine secures a submission against Neil Magny in a welterweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at UFC APEX on December 13, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari\/Zuffa LLC)<\/p>\n

At long last, former Bellator Welterweight champion Yaroslav Amosov made his highly anticipated UFC debut \u2014 and it could not have gone much better. Amosov tapped out Neil Magny inside four minutes of the first round (watch highlights<\/a>), snapping the dreaded Bellator-to-UFC curse in the process.<\/p>\n

After a brief feeling-out period with low kicks and feints, Amosov shot, adjusted on his second attempt, sliced through Magny\u2019s guard, and locked up a tight anaconda choke for the finish.<\/p>\n

It was about as close to a perfect debut as you\u2019ll see. Whether or not he ever captures UFC gold remains to be seen, but Amosov looks like a Top 15 fighter immediately.<\/p>\n

Give him a ranked opponent next. Former champion Leon Edwards makes sense.<\/p>\n

\"LAS<\/a><\/p>\n

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – DECEMBER 13: Cezary Oleksiejczuk of Poland prepares to face Cesar Almeida of Brazil in a middleweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at UFC APEX on December 13, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari\/Zuffa LLC)<\/p>\n

Cezary Oleksiejczuk \u2014 brother of Michal Oleksiejczuk \u2014 finally made his UFC debut after earning a contract on Contender Series for his 36-second knockout, but the excitement didn\u2019t follow him into the Octagon.<\/p>\n

Oleksiejczuk got right in the face of former credentialed kickboxer Cesar Almeida, landing a jab while eating a few leg kicks. Once he saw the opening, he took Almeida down and controlled him for most of the first round while doing minimal damage.<\/p>\n

The second and third rounds followed the same script: Oleksiejczuk would get cracked, immediately shoot for a takedown, secure top control, and pepper Almeida with light shots.<\/p>\n

It worked \u2014 but no one is going to remember this fight. Honestly, I already forgot about it.<\/p>\n

He can fight Djorden Santos next.<\/p>\n

\"LAS<\/a><\/p>\n

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – DECEMBER 13: (L-R) Lance Gibson Jr. kicks King Green in a 160-pound catchweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at UFC APEX on December 13, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari\/Zuffa LLC)<\/p>\n

Stepping in on four days\u2019 notice<\/a>, Lance Gibson Jr. \u2014 son of UFC veteran Lance Gibson (UFC 24 & 29) \u2014 took on King Green and lost a split decision in a pretty forgettable fight.<\/p>\n

From the opening bell, Green walked him down while talking trash the entire time, taunting Gibson to throw. When Gibson did let his hands go, he landed some power shots \u2014 including a calf kick that briefly dropped Green.<\/p>\n

That said, the fight mostly boiled down to Green pressuring forward and Gibson circling away for three rounds.<\/p>\n

Gibson landed a takedown after a low-blow stoppage in Round 2, but failed to do anything with it. Overall, he didn\u2019t throw enough and didn\u2019t capitalize on the few opportunities he had.<\/p>\n

Maybe it was short notice. Maybe it was UFC jitters. Maybe King Green is still that guy \u2014 even at 39.<\/p>\n

Still, if you can\u2019t beat a two-fight-losing-streak Green, the questions are fair.<\/p>\n

He should return on the UFC Seattle card in March. Kody Steele makes sense.<\/p>\n

\"LAS<\/a><\/p>\n

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – DECEMBER 13: (L-R) Isaac Thomson of Australia and Joanderson Brito of Brazil trade punches in a featherweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at UFC APEX on December 13, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari\/Zuffa LLC)<\/p>\n

The second fighter to step in on less than a week\u2019s notice<\/a> was Isaac Thomson \u2014 our Prospect of the Month<\/a> from a few months ago \u2014 and while he lost a unanimous decision to Joanderson Brito, he showed a lot of heart.<\/p>\n

Thomson found himself in top side control early and landed a nice knee in the clinch after Brito got back to his feet. The highlight of the first round was Brito landing two massive slams, but they didn\u2019t faze the rookie.<\/p>\n

The second round featured heavy exchanges, with Thomson surviving a tight D\u2019Arce choke. The third round, however, was all Brito, who used his strength and experience to take over.<\/p>\n

It was a brutal matchup, but Thomson proved he belongs. At just 23 years old, the ceiling is high.<\/p>\n

Joo Sang Yoo should be next.<\/p>\n

\"LAS<\/a><\/p>\n

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – DECEMBER 13: Steven Asplund reacts after a victory against Sean Sharaf in a heavyweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at UFC APEX on December 13, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari\/Zuffa LLC)<\/p>\n

Steven Asplund \u2014 the fighter who publicly offered to suck Dana White\u2019s toes for a UFC contract after his 16-second Contender Series knockout<\/a> \u2014 won his debut by absolutely battering Sean Sharaf en route to a second-round stoppage (watch highlights<\/a>).<\/p>\n

It wasn\u2019t pretty. It was sloppy at times. But Asplund beat the life out of Sharaf with crisp boxing, standing elbows, and front kicks.<\/p>\n

His physique might not look like a typical Heavyweight, but the man can fight and has a gas tank that will drown other big men.<\/p>\n

He\u2019s going to gain fans quickly.<\/p>\n

\"LAS<\/a><\/p>\n

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – DECEMBER 13: (R-L) Guilherme Pat of Brazil punches Allen Frye Jr. in a heavyweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at UFC APEX on December 13, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari\/Zuffa LLC)<\/p>\n

Guilherme Pat, Allen Frye<\/p>\n

A few weeks ago at UFC Qatar, two Heavyweight rookies put on an all-time stinker \u2014 and while Guilherme Pat vs. Allen Frye wasn\u2019t quite that bad, it still wasn\u2019t good.<\/p>\n

Frye served as a punching bag who clinched. Pat was an aggressive boxer who kept hurting his opponent before getting stuck in clinch positions.<\/p>\n

The only positive takeaway for Frye is that he\u2019s tough \u2014 which, in MMA, is something\u2026 just not much.<\/p>\n

Also, both guys look like Light Heavyweights who refuse to cut weight.<\/p>\n

Pat can fight Sean Sharaf next. Frye should probably head back to the regional scene.<\/p>\n

Pat final grade: C
Frye final grade: F<\/p>\n

For complete UFC Vegas 112 results and play-by-play, click here<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"You only get one Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) debut. Seven rookies stepped into the Octagon this past weekend…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":348380,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[570],"tags":[64,63,786,40762,785,32785,85,1396,45879,6656],"class_list":{"0":"post-348379","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-mma","8":"tag-au","9":"tag-australia","10":"tag-fighting","11":"tag-latest-ufc-mma-news","12":"tag-mma","13":"tag-mma-prospects","14":"tag-sports","15":"tag-ufc-news","16":"tag-ufc-on-espn-fight-night","17":"tag-ufc-results"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/348379","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=348379"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/348379\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/348380"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=348379"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=348379"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=348379"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}