WATCH: Kevin Croom Makes History on UFC Debut With a Nasty Guillotine

Fighters coming in as short notice replacements had been a common occurrence in the UFC, especially during the pandemic. However, fighters are so mentally and physically prepared for fights that even short notice bouts feel as though they have been on the agenda for months. A look at Kevin Croom destroying Roosevelt Roberts within the opening minute of the preliminary card fight would let no one believe that the former was making his UFC debut. 

‘The Hard Hitting Hillbilly‘ Croom had a fairytale bow in the big time. In his thirty-second professional fight, he had Roberts on his knees in 16 seconds. 

Unlike Jalin Turner in the previous fight, he didn’t back off. Instead, he swiftly moved in for the kill as a fight is not over unless the referee waves it off of the opponent submits. 

Croom opted for the latter. He wrapped his left arm around the head of Roberts as he tried to make his way to his feet. Roberts attempted to topple ‘The Hard Hitting Hillbilly’ by grabbing a hold of his leg. However, he feebly let his arms drop and tried to prise open Croom’s right arm. 

To shake off the choke, Roberts turned. However, Croom who had spent 11 years as a fighter would not be denied on his UFC debut. 

Kevin Croom secures the fastest debut finish in UFC lightweight history

He gamely held on as the fight went to the ground for two seconds before forcing Roberts back to his feet. The hold was still locked and in and with no means of escape, Roberts tapped. As a result, he suffered a second defeat on the bounce.

Following the fight, Croom let out a joyous yell in celebration of his years of effort paying off. 

Roberts tapped out with 4:29 left in the opening round. This meant that ‘The Hard Hitting Hillbilly’ earned a place in the UFC record books. He claimed the fastest debut finish in UFC’s lightweight history. 

This was a fabulous start to his UFC career and his stock will soar as he moves ahead with more fights in the company. How impressive was Kevin Croom in his UFC debut?

Read: WATCH: Jalin Turner Ends Fight With Submission After Being Denied a Walk off KO