Steve Garcia made quite a statement in his first main event after walking through David Onama in the first round to cap off UFC Vegas 110 on Saturday.
It was an impressive showing as Garcia notched his seventh consecutive win in a row, but this time he completely overwhelmed Onama from the first second until the last. As soon as the fight started, Garcia was in constant pursuit, throwing nasty combinations with little coming in return from Onama.
Eventually, Garcia connected with a hard shot that rattled Onama and he immediately surged forward with a barrage of strikes. Onama dropped but kept coming so Garcia just poured on the punishment until his opponent crumbled to the ground again.
This time, Garcia didn’t let up until referee Herb Dean stepped in to stop the contest with the end coming at 3:34 on the opening round. Garcia has now finished six of his past seven wins by knockout.
“I said this before, my dad told me to be violent in here,” Garcia said after his latest win. “My dad asks, I try to deliver. I wanted to make something of myself. I came to the UFC, I went on this long fight streak, asked God to make me somebody and I’d do the world. I’m here proving my worth.
“In here, this is kill or be killed. I’m like bro, I’m going to get you so you better be ready. I don’t get paid by the hour, I get paid by the minute so I make sure I finish my opponents if it presents itself.”
On the gas pedal from the start, Garcia was moving forward and putting together combinations early and often. Garcia kept throwing a nasty left hand but he wasn’t just loading up with a single punch and instead set up several shots in a row going to the head and body.
With less than two minutes left in the round, Garcia clipped Onama and sent him to the canvas for a moment but the 31-year-old fighter from Uganda quickly got back to his feet. Things didn’t get much better for him, however, because Garcia was quick to pursue as he looked for the finish.
Garcia unloaded another big overhand punch followed by a nasty uppercut that scored and it was clear that Onama was living on borrowed time. Once Onama was hurt, Garcia just kept swarming with strikes including a late head kick that allowed him to just unload shots without any resistance.
Finally with Onama covered up on the ground, Garcia just unloaded with punches until the referee had no choice but to stop the fight.
The win undoubtedly puts Garcia in an even better position in the featherweight division, although he did make a curious callout after his knockout victory.
“I’m going to throw a little curveball in there,” Garcia shouted. “I want the Rocky Balboa story. I want the one with Max Holloway and the ‘BMF’ title. I want that champ. I want that BMF Max Holloway champion right there.”
With Holloway now competing at lightweight, it seems unlikely Garcia is going to get his wish but regardless of his callout, he’s undoubtedly getting a step up in competition after this latest win. Garcia looks like a real player at featherweight and there are plenty of top 10 fighters available who could serve as his next opponent when he returns in 2026.
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