LAS VEGAS – Zach Reese only got to show off 74 seconds of skill at Dana White’s Contender Series 59, but he thinks it was enough to prove he’s UFC-ready.
Reese (6-0) secured a UFC contract on Tuesday when he scored a quick armbar submission victory over Eli Aronov (5-1) at the UFC Apex. The finish impressed company president Dana White, who didn’t hesitate to invite the 29-year-old into the middleweight division.
With an 100 perfect finish rate on his record, with all the wins coming in the first round, Reese hasn’t been pushed much or faced a whole lot of adversity to this point in his career. That may not last when joining a roster of the best 185-pound fighters in the world, but he’s ready for the challenge.
“I wish I would’ve stood up a little bit more or the fight would’ve played out a little bit – but I can’t be mad about a (74)-second finish,” Reese told MMA Junkie and other reporters post-fight at DWCS 59. “It feel surreal. I remember being a kid and watching UFC and to be here now today, it’s a lifetime worth of work come true. … I’m ready (for) all comers.”
Now that he’s part of the UFC roster, the work truly begins for Reese. He seems to have a slight edge in notoriety from most promotional newcomers, though, because he said he’s constantly given lookalike comparisons to YouTube/WWE star Logan Paul.
“That is hilarious. I get asked that all the time,” Reese said. “I tell people that I am Great Value Logan Paul.”
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for Dana White’s Contender Series 59.