Speaking with Mantas Kondratavicius ahead of his UFC debut earlier this year in London, there was an understandable nervousness as he counted down the days to making the walk to the Octagon for the first time.
The 27-year-old middleweight was only nine fights into his professional career although he’d fought for established promotions like Ares FC and Cage Warriors on his way up and earned his contract on Dana White’s Contender Series in 2025. It all paled in comparison to competing in front of 18,000-plus fans at The O2 Arena, but he stepped up to the occasion and scored a decision win over Antonio Trocoli.