LAS VEGAS – Rhys McKee beat Daniel Frunza with a first-round TKO Saturday on the preliminary card at UFC on ESPN 65 at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.
Take a look inside the fight with McKee, whose first UFC win also came with a $50,000 performance bonus.
Rhys McKee def. Daniel Frunza
Result: Rhys McKee def. Daniel Frunza via TKO (doctor’s stoppage) – Round 1, 5:00
Updated records: McKee (14-6-1 MMA, 1-4 UFC), Frunza (9-3 MMA, 0-1 UFC)
Key stats: McKee knocked Frunza down four times in the first round.
McKee on the fight’s key moment
“We knew this was a must-win fight. If I lost, I’d probably have my release papers by now. This was a must-win. And guess what the next one is? A must-win – no different. … (the game plan was) vicious – be vicious. Any chance I could hurt him, as many times as I could, pressure, drown him, make him exhausted – and when the chance was there, the finish came. We had to get it done via damage tonight, but win No. 14 – 14th finish.”
Skeletor wins it! 😤
🇮🇪@RhysMcKee earns his first-ever UFC victory via doctor’s stoppage! #UFCVegas105 pic.twitter.com/kwKAY71ZS7
— UFC_Asia (@UFC_Asia) April 6, 2025
McKee on getting his first UFC win
“It’s a relief. Four times, I’ve been here in the UFC and four times I’ve had to get the bus home early. I’ve always wanted to come to this (post-fight news conference) table, so to be here is a relief. But it’s not job done – it’s job started.
“… To be honest, I thought my UFC opportunity had slipped away. When I got the shot at No. 5, I thought ‘This is my golden ticket. This is the time when it all changes’ I just believed in myself. My coaches believed in me on the days I didn’t believe in myself.”
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – APRIL 05: (L-R) Rhys McKee of Northern Ireland punches Daniel Frunza of Romania in their welterweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at UFC APEX on April 05, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC)
McKee on what he wants next
“(I spent) two weeks in Las Vegas. I brought my wife, brought my daughter … spent two weeks in the (UFC Performance Institute). There ain’t nothing tough about it. It’s a hell of a life. Like we said this week, if you want this stuff, you have to win the fight. We won the fight. I would love my next fight to be in Vegas. I absolutely love it. The PI is fantastic.”
“This win has been 14 years in the making.”
Rhys McKee (@RhysMcKee) notches his first win inside the Octagon with an impressive performance over Daniel Frunza at #UFCVegas105
Prelim Results ➡️ https://t.co/As4oxIRkrQ
— UFC News (@UFCNews) April 6, 2025
To hear more from McKee, check out the video of the full post-fight interview above.
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 65.
Be sure to visit the MMA Junkie Instagram page and YouTube channel to discuss this and more content with fans of mixed martial arts.
