Tommy McMillen brings his Gun Show to Oklahoma City
Tommy McMillen heads into UFC Fight Night in Oklahoma City on a perfect 10-0 record, finally free of a two-year pinched sciatic nerve that once left his foot numb in camp. The unbeaten featherweight faces Alberto Montes after a Fight of the Night debut finish, aiming to stay busy and stack wins.
Key Takeaways
- Tommy McMillen is undefeated through 10 pro fights and meets Alberto Montes on the UFC Oklahoma City main card.
- A pinched sciatic nerve plagued him for two years before clearing ahead of this camp.
- His April debut TKO of Manolo Zecchini earned Fight of the Night and a $100,000 bonus.
- Montes enters on a four-fight submission streak after finishing Ricky Turcios at UFC 326.
- McMillen says he wants to stay active, cash paychecks, and keep finishing opponents.
Who is Tommy McMillen and why does he matter now?
Tommy McMillen has gone 10-0 as a pro, racking up eight of those wins between 2023 and 2025. His Dana White's Contender Series win over David Mgoyan last fall in Las Vegas earned him a UFC roster spot. All but that Contender Series victory came by first-round stoppage, which is why fans are watching the "Gun" closely in the stacked 145-pound division.
According to UFC.com, the 28-year-old wasted little time booking a second Octagon date after his debut, lining up Montes for UFC Fight Night: Du Plessis vs Usman at Paycom Center. For more odd and high-energy sports stories, browse Bizarre News & Florida Man on BlasterPost.
What injury nearly derailed Tommy McMillen's rise?
McMillen said he spent two years dealing with a pinched sciatic nerve that made running, jumping, and training leave his foot numb. He even walked out for the Mgoyan fight with a numb foot, barely grappled in that camp, and still shut down a high-level wrestler. On the regional scene he took fights at 160 and 170 pounds just to keep winning while training on modified camps.
He told UFC the issue lingered into his debut camp and only cleared about five or six weeks before that fight. Since then it has been gone. "This has been the healthiest fight camp of my life," he said of the Oklahoma City buildup, calling the difference night and day.
Who does Tommy McMillen face in Oklahoma City?
Montes, 32, is coming off a slick finish in his UFC debut, putting TUF winner Ricky Turcios to sleep at UFC 326 in March. The Venezuelan is on a four-fight winning streak with every win by submission, making him McMillen's toughest test yet. Their featherweight bout is slated for the main card on July 18, 2026, with prelims at 5 p.m. ET and the main card at 8 p.m. ET on Paramount+.
McMillen's April debut against Manolo Zecchini was a war. After nearly three-and-a-half minutes of trading, he stopped Zecchini along the fence and the pair took Fight of the Night plus $100,000.
What is McMillen's plan against Montes?
Asked for a game plan, McMillen smirked and said he would "throw some sick s***" and break Montes before the fight goes the distance, eyeing another $100,000 bonus. Longer term, he wants activity and paydays more than early Top 15 callouts. "You guys are gonna see a lot of me," he promised.