Ali Akbar Rosady
New York, NY – Ethyn Ewing etched his name into UFC lore with one of the most improbable debuts in the organization’s history, securing a victory at UFC 322 on less than 48 hours’ notice. However, in the aftermath of his stunning win over the previously highly-touted prospect Malcolm Wellmaker, Ewing has vocally defended his opponent against what he terms "ridiculous" criticism that Wellmaker was "fraud checked."
The narrative surrounding Ewing’s journey to the octagon is a testament to the unpredictable nature of mixed martial arts. Just six days prior to receiving the life-altering call from the Ultimate Fighting Championship, Ewing had competed and won a bout in a regional promotion under the banner of Urijah Faber. His triumph on a Friday was followed by a well-deserved celebration, which, as Ewing recounts, included a hearty triple burger and animal fries from In-N-Out. This indulgence, typical for a fighter post-weight cut, set the stage for a dramatic sequence of events.
The call came on a Thursday morning, plunging Ewing into a whirlwind of activity. "Friday’s my fight, we get back on Saturday morning super early," Ewing recounted to MMA Fighting. "I kept moving throughout the week. I wasn’t fully off. Thursday morning I wake up to a whole lot of missed phone calls, a whole lot of text messages from a whole lot of people. Called my dad first because I thought there was car accident or something because my sister [said] ‘call dad, it’s an emergency!’ I’m like oh shoot, what’s going on here?" The urgency was palpable. "Call him, he’s all fired up, call your coach, the UFC’s on the line!"
The opportunity to compete on the grand stage of UFC 322 in New York City was not one Ewing could refuse, despite the immediate challenges. He accepted the fight, agreeing to face Wellmaker at a catchweight of 145 pounds, a featherweight contest, despite both fighters typically competing at bantamweight (135 pounds). This meant an immediate and drastic weight cut for Ewing, who was walking around at approximately 157 pounds with roughly 18 hours until the official weigh-ins.
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Ewing’s preparation was a logistical nightmare compressed into a single day. "I called coach and once that was confirmed, I threw on my sauna suit, went over to the gym, started working out, started cutting weight. Went to the sauna. I think they confirmed it somewhere around there and you’ve got to get this, this and this medical," he explained. The necessary medical clearances for a UFC bout are extensive and typically take days, if not weeks, to complete. Ewing had to crisscross the sprawling Los Angeles area to complete these vital tests, all while shedding significant weight.
Following the medical gauntlet, a cross-country flight awaited. "I went straight to LAX, sat in the airport, jumped on the airplane at 11 o’clock, landed 6:30, 7-ish, once we were out of the airport," Ewing detailed. The journey was far from over. "Sat in dead stop traffic for about an hour and a half and once I arrived there, they rushed me up to the fighter area." Arriving just hours before the weigh-in deadline, Ewing navigated the final critical steps, donning the official Venum gear and stepping onto the scale. Despite the extreme circumstances, he successfully made the 145-pound limit.
Remarkably, Ewing initially accepted the fight without even knowing his opponent’s name. It was only later that he learned he would be facing Malcolm Wellmaker, a fighter who had built considerable momentum. Wellmaker had established himself as a formidable talent, dispatching three consecutive opponents with dominant performances, including a successful showing on Dana White’s Contender Series and two subsequent victories within the UFC octagon. His pre-fight professional record, estimated around 6-0 with multiple finishes, positioned him as a burgeoning force in the bantamweight division, making him a significant challenge for any opponent, let alone a short-notice debutant.
With the weigh-ins complete, Ewing had a brief window to study Wellmaker. The highly anticipated bout unfolded less than a day later at Madison Square Garden. Ewing, making his walk to the octagon on mixed martial arts’ biggest stage, delivered a masterful performance, confounding expectations and securing a unanimous decision victory over Wellmaker. The odds, heavily stacked against him due to the short notice, weight cut, and the caliber of his opponent, were decisively overturned.
Ewing’s strategy was precise, focusing on his technical striking and patience. "I knew that I was going to be more technical than him in the striking," Ewing stated. "I knew that going into it. I had to be patient and careful about that right hook. I really had to glue [my hand] up here because I have a tendency to bring it down sometimes. I glued that up there, I made sure that was cemented." He meticulously neutralized Wellmaker’s renowned power, particularly his potent right hand, which had been a significant factor in his previous victories. "I made sure I was patient because the biggest thing with him, people get impatient. They either jump in or bite on a feint that he’s throwing and that’s where he catches them with that big power. I just knew if I mitigated that, the rest is history."
In a sport often defined by its stark outcomes, Ewing’s victory quickly became a flashpoint for online discussion. While celebrating Ewing’s extraordinary achievement, many critics pivoted to lambasting Wellmaker, suggesting his previous hype was unfounded. The term "fraud checked" began to circulate, implying that Wellmaker’s talent had been exposed by a less-heralded, short-notice opponent.
Ewing, however, took strong exception to this narrative, offering an impassioned defense of his opponent. "I think it’s ridiculous to say he got fraud checked," Ewing asserted. "He’s a talented individual. I’ve got nothing but respect for him. He was very cordial, very cool from the very beginning so I appreciate him taking the fight. I appreciate everything about it. It’s ridiculous."
Ewing directed his criticism towards those who judge from afar without understanding the profound demands of the sport. "Who’s saying that? All the guys sitting on their couch tweeting and texting about it and commenting? All these fans of the sport. They’re not martial artists. They don’t know what it is to go in and step in front of a crowd of that magnitude and do combat, hand to hand, but nothing but tiny four-ounce gloves on. Your shins exposed, your knees exposed and that’s it. They don’t understand what it takes. They don’t understand what it means. They don’t understand the magnitude."
For Ewing, such commentary not only unfairly diminishes Wellmaker but also, inadvertently, his own performance. "So I’ve got nothing but respect to the guy. He’s a tremendous athlete and I think it takes away from my performance for people to say that. I just don’t think anybody knew who I was."
The victory at UFC 322, coming just eight days after his previous professional win, elevated Ewing’s nascent professional record to an impressive 2-0 within little more than a week, and an overall record of at least 3-0. This rapid ascent has ensured that Ewing will no longer carry the "unknown factor" into his future bouts. He acknowledges this increased scrutiny and is committed to proving his debut was not a fluke.
"This is just the beginning," Ewing stated, looking ahead. "I’m just scratching the surface. I have so much room to grow and I love putting in the hard work. I love the lifestyle that it means to be a fighter. There’s much improvement to be made and much hard work that’s going to go into this."
As for his immediate post-fight celebration, Ewing revealed a lighthearted anecdote. His wife had, perhaps presciently, talked him out of getting ice cream the night before the UFC call came. After securing his monumental win at UFC 322, a victory that saw him defy monumental odds, Ewing finally earned that indulgence. "Yes I did," Ewing confirmed, "I got some ice cream yesterday." The sweet treat was a well-deserved reward for a fighter who not only conquered an impossible challenge but also championed the integrity of his sport and his fellow competitor.
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