Eric McConico Record: 11-4-1

Building toward the big stage

The signature win of McConico's regional climb came in November 2023, when he stopped veteran Maki Pitolo by third-round TKO via head kick and punches at Tuff-N-Uff 134, a statement finish over a fighter with UFC experience that announced he belonged at a higher level.

UFC run

McConico's promotional debut was unforgiving: he ran into surging contender Nursulton Ruziboev in February 2025 and was stopped by a second-round TKO. He answered with the kind of resolve that has defined his career, edging Cody Brundage by split decision in August 2025 for his first UFC win. A step up against unbeaten prospect Baisangur Susurkaev at UFC 322 in November 2025 ended in a third-round knockout loss, but McConico bounced back again in April 2026, outpointing BJJ ace Rodolfo Vieira over three rounds for a unanimous-decision win that underscored his durability and craft.

Fighting style

McConico is a well-rounded finisher with a roughly 64% finish rate, splitting his 11 wins evenly between knockouts (four), submissions (three) and decisions (four). His length and wrestling base let him control range and chain offense, and his purple-belt grappling shows in clean rear-naked-choke finishes. He hits hard enough to end fights on the feet, but the honest book on him is durability: all four of his career losses have come by knockout, a vulnerability that elite punchers have exposed. At his best he is a patient pressure fighter who breaks opponents late, as his decision wins over tested veterans demonstrate.

Career highlights

• Earned a UFC contract the hard way — rebuilt from regional knockout losses to win his way into the promotion at 34, capping the climb with a head-kick TKO of UFC veteran Maki Pitolo.
• First UFC victory — outworked Cody Brundage by split decision in August 2025 to get into the win column inside the Octagon.
• Bounce-back over a grappling specialist — defeated Rodolfo Vieira by unanimous decision in April 2026, proving his resilience after a knockout setback.