Torrez Finney Is Proving Himself Right

The 26-year-old from Macon, Georgia, first showed up on the UFC radar in October 2023 when he scored a second-round submission win on Dana White’s Contender Series to stretch his record to 7-0 with six finishes. However, it wasn’t enough to impress the boss, as UFC CEO Dana White didn’t give Finney a contract that night. Finney was hardly the first victor to experience such a fate, and after securing a first-round knockout win on the regional scene, he returned to the UFC APEX for a second go under the Contender Series banner.

In his return to the show, Finney secured a decision win, but White’s words were arguably harsher, saying Finney would be “absolutely decimated” in the UFC. Instead of getting discouraged, Finney heeded White’s words and returned about six weeks later for a third bout on the show and secured a dominant first-round finish.

Watch Torrez Finney’s Fight Week Interview 

And as the adage goes, his third win was the charm.

“When you doubt me, I work harder,” Finney told UFC.com. “That’s just how I’ve always been. Growing up, it happened to me in football, happened to me in wrestling. When you hear that doubt or when people doubt you in certain areas or give you a challenge, I’ll look forward to that. I’m like, ‘OK, I’m going to prove myself right.’