Marcus McGhee Record: 12-2-0

Octagon rise

McGhee announced himself in the UFC in April 2023, submitting Journey Newson by second-round rear-naked choke. He followed it in August 2023 by flattening JP Buys with a first-round knockout, then produced one of the more spectacular finishes of his career in January 2024, stopping Gaston Bolaños with a second-round spinning wheel kick and follow-up punches. The signature win came in November 2024 at UFC 309, where he out-pointed durable veteran Jonathan Martinez over three rounds by unanimous decision to push his unbeaten UFC streak and crack the divisional conversation.

First real test and response

That momentum met a wall in July 2025, when McGhee was matched in a co-main event against former champion Petr Yan and dropped a unanimous decision – the toughest assignment of his career and a measuring-stick loss against one of the division's elite. He rebounded in June 2026, grinding out a unanimous-decision win over John Yannis to get back in the win column and reassert himself as a ranked threat at 135 pounds.

Fighting style

McGhee is a finisher first: eight of his 11 wins have come by knockout, with one submission, for an 82% finish rate that ranks among the more dangerous in the bantamweight division. He fights at a relentless pace, mixing crisp boxing with flashy, fight-ending weapons like the spinning kick that ended Bolaños, and his grappling is good enough to capitalize when opponents wilt, as Newson learned. The questions that remain are about the very top tier – the Yan loss showed that elite footwork and ring generalship can blunt his pressure – but against everyone short of the division's best, his volume and power make him a constant threat.

Career highlights

• UFC 309 statement win — out-pointed seasoned contender Jonathan Martinez over three rounds to break into the ranked bantamweight picture.
• Highlight-reel finisher — stopped Gaston Bolaños with a second-round spinning wheel kick, one of several finishes that built an 82% career finish rate.
• Undefeated UFC start — rattled off four straight Octagon wins out of the gate, including a debut submission of Journey Newson, before facing former champ Petr Yan.