UFC 263, which takes place this weekend (Sat., June 12, 2021) inside Gila River Arena in Glendale, Ariz., was only supposed to feature Octagon veterans, but we all know that no fight is final until both men enter the cage. On this edition of “New Blood,” the series where there’s no rest of the prognosticators, we look at a “Contender Series” veteran fighting for the fourth time in three months.
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UFC championship double header welcomes fans back to Arizona, with Middleweight kingpin, Israel Adesanya, and his Flyweight counterpart, Deiveson Figueiredo, both looking to settle olds scores against familiar opponents. And, of course, featuring the long-awaited return of Nate Diaz, who locks horns with top-ranked Welterweight contender, Leon Edwards.
Terrance “T. Wrecks” McKinney
Weight Class: Lightweight
Age: 26
Record: 10-3 (4 KO, 6 SUB)
Notable Victories: None
McKinney, whose only prior defeat came via injury, enjoyed a strong start against Sean Woodson on “Contender Series” before falling victim to a flying knee midway through the second round. Then came a 57-second submission loss to Darrick Minner, which he’s rebounded from with three sub-two-minute stoppages in the span of three months.
He makes an eight-day turnaround on Saturday, replacing the injured Frank Camacho.
When browsing fight footage, I usually like to watch two or three of the subject’s full bouts depending on fight availability and length. I was able to watch McKinney’s last five fights … in less than 15 minutes. Indeed, all but one of his professional wins have come in less than three minutes, and his last three lasted a combined 1:45.
He accomplishes these feats of efficiency through a mix of nasty submissions and a limited, but effective, striking arsenal. A Division II and junior college wrestling standout, he makes up for his not-great entries with excellent chain wrestling and good timing on reactive takedowns. Once it hits the ground, he can take the back in seconds, and his most recent finish showcased his ability to knock someone unconscious from full guard. McKinney is not a lay-and-prayer by any stretch of the imagination.
On the feet, he relies largely on his left high kick, which accounts for his last two (technical) knockout victories. Besides that, he generally moves well, showed some jabs and hooks his last time out, and has a nice front kick to go along with the big-money roundhouse.
Outside of general polish, as he can be more fast-twitch than technical at times, McKinney’s biggest enemy at the moment is predictability. He went for the same reactive double-leg over and over against Woodson, which ultimately led to Woodson timing it with a brutal knee, and he threw well over half a dozen head kicks in the span of a minute his last time out. I can still see him beating a few Octagon Lightweights, but he needs to work on his setups and variety if he wants to make a real run.
Still, he’s got raw potential for days, and I’m very much looking forward to his time in UFC.
Opponent: He fights the ultra-tough Matt Frevola. “Steamrolla” is a sizable favorite, but considering how he struggled with the wrestling of Arman Tsarukyan, McKinney’s definitely a live dog. Either way, I wouldn’t be surprised if it ended in the first.
Tape: His “Contender Series” and LFA appearances are on Fight Pass.
Remember that MMAmania.com will deliver LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the entire UFC 263 fight card right here, starting with the early ESPN+ “Prelims” matches online, which are scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. ET, then the remaining undercard balance on ESPN/ESPN+ at 8 p.m. ET, before the PPV main card start time at 10 p.m. ET on ESPN+ PPV.
To check out the latest and greatest UFC 263: “Adesanya vs. Vettori 2” news and notes be sure to hit up our comprehensive event archive right here.