What was Malcolm Wellmaker's job before UFC stardom, and what enabled him to walk away from it?

Malcolm Wellmaker extended his winning run to 10 fights after securing a devastating opening round knockout victory against Kris Moutinho in their bantamweight contest this past Saturday at UFC Atlanta. Wellmaker's win sparked reactions from the entire MMA world, who praised the 31-year-old for his impressive performance at State Farm Arena.

Wellmaker previously worked as a pipe fitter/welder in Augusta, Georgia, while competing at the regional MMA scene. However, the American left his day job after earning a $50,000 'Performance of the night' bonus for his excellent octagon debut at UFC Kansas City earlier this year, where he displayed his striking prowess and knocked out Cameron Saaiman in the first round.

During the UFC Atlanta media day, Wellmaker discussed how his co-workers reacted to his decision of leaving the job to pursue a full-time MMA career. 'The Machine' said that everyone extended their support, and it was a heartwarming experience.

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''Yeah, I didn’t really have to explain myself too much, I literally had on sweatpants and a hoodie, you know? Everybody else is wearing their hard tool boots and everything and I sat down at the table, I stopped and grabbed biscuits on the way to work, and they knew. Everybody that was at my job was supporting me. They watched the fight, they knew what my aspirations were and they knew what position I could be in if I got the bonus.''

Wellmaker continued:

''So, we literally sat at the table for about an hour. I mean, they stopped work, we had a good farewell, we talked about all the memories, we talked about what’s next and I rounded up my tools and went home, you know? It was a very positive experience.''

Check out Malcolm Wellmaker's comments below (14:07):

As a Georgia native, Wellmaker was thrilled to be a part of the UFC Atlanta card. He left an impression as a potential contender for the 135 pound crown after knocking out Moutinho at the 2:37 mark of the opening round.

Check out Malcolm Wellmaker's finish below:

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About the author

Swagat is a dynamic MMA writer with a total experience of a little less than a year, which includes time in retail and sports journalism. He holds an MBA degree.

Swagat fell in love with the sport after watching the iconic grudge match between Jon Jones and Daniel Cormier at UFC 182 in early 2015. Nate Diaz holds a special place in his heart for the Stockton native’s entertaining fan-friendly style and ability to deliver exciting fights regardless of the opponent.

In terms of rule changes in MMA, Swagat advocates for making scores public after each round, adding transparency to judging decisions.

Swagat prioritizes accuracy and relevance while writing and conducts thorough research to ensure the content is fresh and reliable.

He enjoys playing football and painting during his free time.

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Edited by Swagat Kumar Jena