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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Sport
Donagh Corby

Conor McGregor's first UFC opponent makes debut in professional pillow fighting

UFC veterans including Conor McGregor's first opponent in the promotion Marcus Brimage competed in a farcical Pillow Fighting Championship event over the weekend.

Brimage was joined by fellow UFC alum Markus Perez in the one-night tournament, which featured fighters competing in competitive pillow fighting matches.

Neither of the ex-MMA stars, who have wins on their records in the sport's most prestigious promotion, were able to pick up a victory in the tournament, however.

They were ultimately beaten to the $5,000 grand prize by winless MMA fighter Hauley Tillman, while UFC competitor Istela Nunes was awarded the women's title.

Also in attendance at the Miami pay-per-view event was Logan Paul's boxing coach Milton 'Supreme' Lacoix, who cornered one of the competitors.

Lacroix, who lives in Florida when he isn't training the YouTube star in his Puerto Rican base, was seen giving advice to Kendahl Voelker, a former NCAA Division 1 athlete on her way to the final.

But perhaps the most notable incident came when Perez got into an actual altercation during his showdown with journeyman MMA fighter and fitness coach Reggie Newsome.

Newsome, whose MMA record is 5-10, lost his pillow in an exchange, but Perez continued to attack him, causing a scuffle between the pair that saw Pillow Fighting Championship officials and the fighter's corners enter the ring.

Ultimately, the event would see neither men, nor McGregor's old foe Brimage take the title, with Tillman coming out on top in the promotion's third event.

It's been a rough ride for Brimage since he met the Irishman in a bout that would prove historic on the undercard of a UFC fight night in Sweden back in April of 2013.

The American was 6-1 when he entered the octagon with then-debuting McGregor, who had gone 12-2 on the regional scene in the UK and Ireland while winning the Cage Warriors featherweight and lightweight titles.

And Brimage was only a minor underdog with bookies, having impressed on the Ultimate Fighter before launching a three-fight winning run in the UFC.

What do you make of the 'Pillow Fighting Championship'? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below!

But within just 67 seconds, he had been dispatched by McGregor, who famously earned $50,000 as a knockout bonus after an iconic octagon interview.

Since then, Brimage has won just one fight and was cut from the UFC following a failed move to bantamweight that included a loss to future champion Cody Garbrandt.

He seemingly gave up on MMA to focus on his life as a yoga instructor in Florida back in 2016, but launched a combat sports comeback last year losing to Kyle Bochniak in his return to MMA to bring his record to 7-8.

Brimage has since tried his hand at bare-knuckle fighting, but could only score a draw with 23-30-1 MMA fighter Will Shutt, who is also winless in BKFC.

He has recommended that fighters try out the Pillow Fighting Championship to gain experience stepping into the ring in front of a crowd, although how much benefit that could have on a fighting career remains to be seen.

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