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.”
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.
