Valentine Woodburn Record: 7-2-0

UFC arrival against Bo Nickal

Woodburn's promotional debut came under the brightest possible spotlight. In July 2023 he stepped in on short notice at UFC 290 to face blue-chip wrestling prospect Bo Nickal, one of the heaviest betting favorites in UFC history at the time. Nickal closed the distance immediately and stopped Woodburn with punches in the first round, handing him the first loss of his career. It was a brutal welcome to the elite level, but the willingness to take the fight at all underscored Woodburn's belief in himself.

Second UFC test

Given a more conventional matchup in February 2024, Woodburn fought Welshman Oban Elliott on the UFC 298 card and dropped a decision over three rounds. The loss left him 0-2 inside the Octagon, but both setbacks came against quality opposition — a future contender in Nickal and a tough, well-rounded Elliott — rather than soft touches, and his regional finishing power keeps him a live threat whenever a fight stays in striking range.

Fighting style

Woodburn is a knockout-first fighter, and his numbers bear that out: five of his seven wins have come by knockout or TKO, with the other two by decision and not a single submission win on his ledger, for a 71 percent finish rate. He is at his most dangerous as the aggressor, walking opponents down and looking to land the heavy shot that ends the night. The flip side is that his game leans heavily on that power; his two professional losses, a first-round knockout and a decision, came when faster, more technical opponents took away his pressure or beat him to the punch. He remains a high-variance, high-power presence at welterweight.

Career highlights

• Perfect on the regional circuit — ran his record to 7-0 on Florida's Combat Night scene, including a divisional championship, before reaching the UFC.
• Stepped up against Bo Nickal — took a short-notice UFC 290 debut against one of the sport's most hyped prospects, Bo Nickal.
• Knockout artist — carries a 71 percent finish rate with five of seven wins by KO/TKO into the welterweight division.