Thomas Paull Record: 12-5-0

Climbing the UK ranks

By the early 2020s, Paull had become a feared finisher on the British circuit. He scored a notable third-round knockout of the 13-5 veteran Mario Saeed at a Golden Ticket Fight Promotions show in 2021, then opened 2022 with a first-round knockout of the experienced Perry Andre Goodwin. That run of stoppage wins earned him a shot on the sport's biggest prospect stage.

Contender Series and Cage Warriors

In August 2022, Paull stepped onto Dana White's Contender Series against unbeaten Argentine prospect Esteban Ribovics, who was 10-0 at the time. Ribovics caught him with a right hook and followed with ground strikes for a first-round finish – a tough loss against a future UFC fighter that nonetheless put Paull's power-punching style on a global platform. He suffered another setback later that year before resetting and signing with Cage Warriors, one of Europe's premier promotions. There he showed a different dimension, grinding out a decision win over Dimitry Solimeis at Cage Warriors 169 in March 2024 – proof he could win without a highlight-reel finish.

Fighting style

Paull is a knockout artist, plain and simple. Eleven of his 12 wins have come by knockout or TKO, with only a single decision on his ledger, giving him a remarkable 92% finish rate – one of the highest of any fighter in this division. His game is built on heavy hands and brutal ground-and-pound, and he is at his most dangerous when he can put an opponent on the canvas and rain down strikes. The trade-off is the flip side of an all-action style: all five of his losses have come by finish, three by knockout and two by submission, suggesting a fighter who lives and dies by the early exchanges rather than grinding out safe decisions.

Career highlights

• 92% finish rate — 11 of his 12 wins by knockout, one of the most lethal finishing rates in regional featherweight MMA.
• Dana White's Contender Series appearance — shared the cage with then-unbeaten Esteban Ribovics on the UFC's prospect showcase.
• Cage Warriors signing — reached one of Europe's top promotions and proved his versatility with a decision win over Dimitry Solimeis.