The disappointment on his face was glaringly obvious as South Africa’s UFC bantamweight athlete Cameron Saaiman lined up in the centre of the Octagon while world-renowned UFC ring announcer Bruce Buffer officially concluded the fight.
Competing at UFC Fight Night: Machado Garry vs Prates at the T-Mobile Centre in Kansas City, Saaiman suffered a first-round knockout against UFC debutant Malcolm Wellmaker (USA) on the preliminary card of the show in Missouri, USA.
Both bantamweights took a moment to make plenty of reads and measure their ranges before engaging early in the first round.
Malcolm Wellmaker lands a huge KO with a PERFECT shot on Cameron Saaiman. Welcome to the UFC! 🔥#UFCKansasCity
— Verdict (@VerdictMMA) April 26, 2025
South Africa’s Saaiman stayed light on his feet on the outside with good foot movement, before targeting the legs of Wellmaker, who kept moving forward, calm and composed. As Wellmaker closed the distance between the two fighters, it was Saaiman who landed the first body shot with a left straight. Wellmaker, with the superior reach, unleashed a quick combination.
Still, Saaiman showcased some beautiful head movement and slips that would have been very beneficial later on, had he maintained that sharpness, as Wellmaker is known for his extreme power.
It was clear that Saaiman was aware of Wellmaker’s plan to use his boxing and thus continued attacking the American’s lead leg to try to neutralise his knockout ability.
As the athletes moved towards the side of the cage, with Wellmaker controlling the space inside the Octagon, Wellmaker attacked Saaiman’s body with a straight jab, which was countered by another lead leg attack from Saaiman. As the distance further closed, Wellmaker attempted to land another powerful hook to the body.
Saaiman then circled out and threw a right hook, which paid little dividends, with Wellmaker responding with a colossal counter right hook that flatlined Saaiman for a moment. The fight lasted one minute and 59 seconds.
It was a heartbreaking moment for Saaiman, who was eager to make an explosive return and live up to the promise he showed after shining on the Dana White Contender Series in 2022.
After being dubbed “The Future” by UFC President Dana White, Saaiman was blessed with three incredible opportunities on UFC pay-per-view cards between 2022 and 2023. He proved his star worth, delivering three wins (two finishes and one decision).
Everything was moving very fast for the then 22-year-old.
After his ground-and-pound first-round win against Terrence Mitchell at UFC 290, Saaiman was on a three-fight winning streak in the UFC. He then endured two back-to-back losses, with his last defeat against Payton Talbott in March 2024.
It was then that Saaiman realised it was time to slow things down. Since making his UFC debut in December 2022, he had fought five times in the space of 15 months, and the man admitted he was not allowing his body to completely recover, which also triggered injuries and niggles, impacting his performance.
He then took a year’s hiatus with the purpose of returning to his winning ways this weekend.
As Bruce Buffer announced the result, Saaiman seemed to be uttering some words, as if he were apologising to himself and his people back home. It was obvious the young man – who came into the UFC undefeated – was devastated by the loss.
Come what may, it’s back to the drawing board for Saaiman.
