UFC: ‘The Tibetan Eagle’ soars as Su Mudaerji announces himself as a flyweight threat

China’s Su Mudaerji lit up Las Vegas on Sunday, needing just 44 seconds to lay opponent Malcolm Gordon to waste with a series of long, straight lefts, and to announce himself as a serious threat in the UFC’s flyweight division.

“The Tibetan Eagle” had taken the drop down from bantamweight for his stateside debut on the preliminaries of the UFC Vegas 15 card and it was apparent from the first punch he threw that the southpaw’s reach and his range might offer a little more heat to a division that has already been sparked back into life in 2020.

UFC boss Dana White was impressed enough to hand the rising star a US$50,000 Performance of the Night bonus for the work that led to the first-round knockout at UFC Apex.

“I finished this fight so fast, but this was my plan,” said the Sichuan-born 24-year-old afterwards. “Today wasn’t all [I have]. I hope to fight again soon. I want to fight next month against whoever but I want a top ranking.”

The win took Su’s record to 13-4, with now nine first-round finishes and Gordon was basically picked apart from the moment they touched gloves. The Canadian (12-5) wore the first punch Su threw, and ducked and weaved but the Chinese fighter kept throwing – and landing, with six finding their mark, bang on the button, before the lights went out and Gordon tumbled to the right, and to the canvas.

Job done for Su, and the hype that had made him the tightest favourite on the card at just -360 with the bookies was proved justified.