After more than four years on the roster, UFC welterweight Jeremiah Wells will likely battle to keep his spot in the promotion on this weekend’s card.
Jeremiah Wells was once one of the most fearsome welterweight prospects
Nearly half a decade ago, Jeremiah Wells made his corporate debut at UFC Fight Night: Gane vs. Volkov. Before that, the Renzo Gracie Philly fighter had been on a tear on the regional scene, compiling a 7-2-1 professional record while capturing the CFFC 170-pound strap. The only draw of the period came against fellow future UFC competitor Bassil Hafez, who himself gave current champion Jack Della Maddalena an incredibly close run for his money on his way to the top.
Jeremiah Wells stepped into the UFC Apex for his freshman foray into the Octagon and battled it out with Ultimate Fighter tournament winner Warlley Alves. With just over five minutes left, he managed to knock out the tough Brazilian UFC welterweight with a hellish right hook, stunning the veteran.
Proving he was a talented finisher, Wells went on to score two more victories over Mike Mathetha and a second TUF alum in Court McGee, stopping both men in the first round. His victory over the latter in particular went viral after Jeremiah Wells landed a devastating left hook that dropped “The Crusher” to the canvas. His performance in that competition earned Wells his first Performance of the Night award. Although he had just scored a split-decision victory over Matthew Semelsberger in his next bout, all eyes were on the touted newcomer as the UFC welterweight to watch out for.
Beginning of Jeremiah Wells’ Decline, Current Status
Heading into the later stages of 2023, Wells appeared to be on a steady but exciting climb up the UFC’s welterweight ladder. During the first ten minutes of his performance with Carlston Harris at UFC Fight Night: Sandhagen vs. Font, he looked comfortable en route to another victory on the biggest stage in the sport. He even won the first two rounds at the scorecards.
That was until ‘Moçambique’ pulled off a breathtaking come-from-behind reversal and secured a masterful anaconda hook in the third, leaving Wells completely cold and handing the American his loss in more than four years.
Things didn’t go much better for Wells in his next tilt either. When he faced Max Griffin in his only fight of 2024, he encountered tremendous difficulty landing meaningful power shots, with ‘Pain’ expertly dodging or blocking most of them. Near the end, it was Griffin who came out with his hand up on split Decision.
This was the last time Wells fought for his upcoming assignment this weekend at UFC Fight Night 263, where he will meet African prospect Themba Gorimbo. With him out of action for almost two years and his 39th birthday coming two days before the event, no one knows if the once scariest puncher outside the rankings will be able to regain his place in the win column. And given his current two-fight loss, Wells may well be fighting for his job as a UFC welterweight in Las Vegas on Saturday.
#Jeremiah #Wells #crucial #win #November #Apex