From debutant to ranked contender, UFC featherweight Kevin Vallejos had a rookie year to envy.
This 2025 saw a big influx of talent debut in the octagon, with 78 fighters making the UFC walk for the very first time. With a packed schedule, it’s extremely hard for any newcomer to stand out among fan-favorite veterans, champions defending their belts, contenders are challenging for titles, and stars are headlining events. Yet, Argentina’s Vallejos made sure to make his name known this 2025.
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After winning his UFC contract through Dana White Contender Series in 2024, Vallejos (17-1 MMA, 3-0 UFC) made his UFC debut in March at a UFC Fight Night event in Las Vegas. He was matched up against Seung Woo Choi, who had 10 fights in the UFC, and had defeated many notable names such as Youssef Zalal and Julian Erosa. But that didn’t matter for “El Chino,” as he walked down Choi and stopped him in a little over three minutes into the first round. It was a solid start to what would become a very memorable year.
Vallejos returned to the cage five months later to take on dangerous prospect Danny Silva. This time, he got a step-up in card placement, as the two were given the task to open up the UFC on ESPN 71 main card. Vallejos showed a ton of maturity despite being just 23 years old. Although he was unable to knock out Silva, Vallejos stayed calm and outpointed Silva over 15 minutes.
Vallejos’ heater continued, as he logged in a third fight in 2025. However, this time he didn’t just get a slight increment in the featherweight ladder. Vallejos was given the task to co-headline the final UFC Fight Night of 2025, and do so against ranked veteran Giga Chidkaze. It was a big step up.
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With a spinning backfist, Vallejos capped off an incredible debut year, all while becoming the first person to knock out Chidkaze, plus cashing in a $50,000 Performance of the Night bonus. The first-round finish also got him a spot in the UFC official rankings at 145 pounds.
Vallejos’ 2025 was a monster one. He went from being a rookie to now being among the best 15 fighters at featherweight. He also picked up many fans along the way with his devastating power, and high ceiling for being a future title contender. No one had a start to their UFC career like Vallejos, making him an obvious pick for MMA Junkie’s 2025 Newcomer of the Year.
This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: UFC’s Kevin Vallejos named 2025 Newcomer of the Year
