Draft:Marcus McGhee

Marcus McGhee (born May 7, 1990) is an American mixed martial artist who competes in the bantamweight division. He is a fighter of the Ultimate Fighting Championship. He fights out of the MMA Lab in Phoenix, Arizona.

Background
Marcus McGhee was born in Detroit, and later moved to Phoenix. In his early years, he was not particularly engaged in organized sports, despite possessing athletic ability, which he often expressed through activities like skateboarding. McGhee's path took a significant turn in 2012 when he encountered a mixed martial arts MMA gym. This experience prompted him to focus his efforts on MMA, a discipline where he felt he could apply the resilience developed during his formative years. McGhee views the sport as a conduit for personal growth and freedom. In his own words, as reported by the UFC, McGhee seeks to harness the discipline of mixed martial arts to achieve a greater sense of autonomy and purpose, reflecting on his journey within the UFC as both an athlete and an individual striving for self-expression​.

Early career
Marcus McGhee's venture into mixed martial arts was fortuitous, leading to a commitment to the sport. He is recognized for a fighting style characterized by discipline and a reported empathy towards his opponents. The nickname “The Maniac” was ascribed to McGhee, reflecting an intense and unpredictable presence during competitions, as noted on his official website. His choice of nickname, as he recounted in an interview on UFC Connected, pays tribute to the protagonist of Jerry Spinelli's novel "Maniac Magee," a character known for athletic feats and a notable disregard for societal divisions.

In the initial phase of his amateur career, McGhee faced two losses, which were followed by a series of three victories preceding his first professional bout at the beginning of 2020. His professional achievements include a victory over Rodney Mandala in the finals of the Road to One tournament, as well as victories over Ricardo Maynez and Raphael Montini de Lima in the preliminary rounds, documented by Sherdog.com.

Ultimate Fighting Championship
On April 29th 2023, McGhee made his debut at Ultimate Fighting Championship against Journey Newson at UFC Fight Night 72 replacing Brian Kelleher, who was forced to withdraw. Marcus submitted Newson via a rear naked choke in second round. McGhee also was awarded one of the $50,000 fight of the night performances for his UFC debut performance.

On August 12th 2023, McGhee fought JP Buys at UFC on ESPN: Luque vs. dos Anjos replacing Gaston Bolanos, who was forced to withdraw. Marcus knocked out Buys via a right hook at 2:19 of the first round. McGhee also was awarded one of the $50,000 fight of the night performances for his UFC debut performance.

On January 13th 2024, McGhee fought Gaston Bolanos at UFC Fight Night: Ankalaev vs. Walker 2. Marcus performed a technical knockout via a spinning wheel kick and punches against Bolanos at 3:29 of the second round. McGhee also was awarded one of the $50,000 performance of the night bonuses for his UFC performance.

Mixed martial arts

 * Ultimate Fighting Championship
 * Performance of the Night (One time) vs. Journey Newson
 * Performance of the Night (One time) vs. JP Buys
 * Performance of the Night (One time) vs. Gaston Bolanos
 * Iron Boy MMA
 * Ironboy Amateur Featherweight Champion