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The returning Todd Duffee, though technically a veteran, is still very much a prospect in need of a big-name casualty to reestablish himself in the Ultimate Fighting Championship. Even so, he still owns one of the fastest knockouts in UFC history and has lost only to quality opponents, namely Frank Mir, Alistair Overeem and Mike Russow. Ahead of his Octagon comeback on Sept. 14 at UFC Fight Night 158, rediscover the devastating power of “The Irish Car Bomb” through the numbers below.
1. He was once touted as the next big thing in the UFC.
Duffee entered the Octagon on a five-fight winning streak, which included a victory over UFC and Pride veteran Assuerio Silva. All but one of those five wins came in the first round. With such an impressive resume, Duffee was expected to do well in the UFC. He was a young and hungry heavyweight with ridiculous power in his hands. For his Octagon debut, he faced the late Tim Hague and did not disappoint. Duffee stopped the Canadian before he could mount any form of offense.
2. All his wins have come via knockout.
Having started his career with four straight first-round knockouts, Duffee, with his imposing 6-foot-3-inch, 241-pound frame, was an especially intimidating heavyweight. Whether or not any/all of his opponents were intimidated once inside the cage, that is hard to say, but regardless, the American Kickboxing Academy product has kept his reputation and his 100 percent knockout rate intact. He currently boasts nine career wins, all by KO or TKO. His victims in the UFC have been Anthony Hamilton, Philip De Fries, Neil Grove and Tim Hague.
3. He is a fast starter.
Duffee holds eight stoppages inside the first round, five of them coming in under a minute. Before we forget, the native of Evansville, Indiana, owns one of the most spectacular debuts in UFC history, finishing Hague only seven seconds into the fight.
4. He took a short notice title fight with Alistair Overeem.
After his loss to Mike Russow, Duffee was released by the UFC. He was then tapped by DREAM to challenge Alistair Overeem less than two weeks before fight day, and for the interim heavyweight title. The result didn’t go well for Duffee, who was starched by the much more experienced Overeem in just 19 seconds. Understandably, a rematch with his tormentor is something that Duffee has been wanting to happen.
5. He’s flexed some acting chops.
Duffee has not only exhibited his fighting skills inside the cage, he has also showcased them on the big screen. He appeared in the 2011 martial arts flick Never Back Down 2: The Beatdown in the role of Tim Newhouse, a struggling fighter determined to bring his family out of debt following the death of his father. Duffee also had a cameo in the 2016 blockbuster Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.