Tristan Connelly’s UFC debut couldn’t have gone any better, as the 35-year-old veteran parlayed a short-notice opportunity at home in Vancouver into a unanimous decision victory and a cool $100,000 in bonus money thanks to his opponent, Michel Pereira, missing weight ahead of their Fight of the Night-winning clash.
But “Boondock” has been out of action since, initially sidelined when the coronavirus forced the cancellation of several fight cards and forced to remain there after a car accident left him in need of neck surgery.
Finally healthy and ready to return, the Checkmat Vancouver representative is slated to drop two divisions, venturing to featherweight for the first time in several years this weekend to welcome Patrick Sabatini into the Octagon for the first time.
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Connelly was a .500 fighter through the first 10 bouts of his career, but since then, the well-rounded finisher has rattled off nine victories in 10 starts, including six straight heading into Saturday’s meeting with Sabatini. Those early struggles allowed him to address the holes in his game and how to play to his strengths inside the cage, and the results since speak for themselves.
A two-time titleholder under the CFFC banner, Sabatini brings a 13-3 record into his promotional debut, which was initially slated to take place towards the end of February before his opponent, Rafael Alves, missed the lightweight limit for their featherweight fight.
If Connelly can shake off the rust and extend his winning streak, he’ll establish himself as an intriguing dark horse in the deep and talented 145-pound weight class and position himself for a bigger opportunity in the second half of the year.
