Malcolm Wellmaker has been one of the breakout stars of 2025, arriving in the Octagon from Season 8 of Dana White’s Contender Series to deliver a pair of punishing first-round knockouts that quite literally changed his life.
The first came in April against Cameron Saaiman and allowed him to quit his job as a union pipefitter. The second came less than two months later in Atlanta, Georgia, two hours and change down I-20W from his hometown of Augusta, against durable veteran Kris Moutinho. Those two wins pushed his record to 10-0, earned him accolades and praise, both within the MMA community and, more importantly, in his own community as well.