Terrance McKinney Delivers Jaw-Dropping Victory at UFC 317
If you blinked, you probably missed it. Terrance McKinney stormed through UFC 317 in a way fans have almost come to expect, but never tire of seeing. On June 28, the lightweight contender wasted no time, locking up a guillotine choke on Viacheslav Borshchev a mere 55 seconds after the first bell. The crowd barely had a chance to settle down before Borshchev, also known as ‘Slava Claus,’ was forced to tap.
Right from the start, McKinney turned Borshchev’s opening leg kick into an opportunity. He shot in, took the fight to the ground, and started working for an anaconda choke. From there, his movement was fluid—slipping to a mounted guillotine that had Borshchev scrambling for an escape that never came. The finish looked almost routine for ‘T-Wrecks,’ but the speed and precision never fail to surprise.
This win marks McKinney’s 16th first-round finish—he’s never needed the judges to decide a fight. UFC fans love a fast finisher, and McKinney’s record of putting people away in the opening minutes keeps him in the conversation as one of the most electrifying athletes at 155 pounds. The icing on the cake? In the post-fight interview, McKinney quipped, “Sorry it took so long,” getting a laugh out of the crowd and a nod to his reputation for ending things even quicker.
Borshchev’s Rocky Run Continues
Borshchev came in with momentum on his mind, hoping to rebound from a recent defeat to Tom Nolan. He’s no stranger to wild fights and earned three UFC performance bonuses already, courtesy of his aggressive striking and never-back-down style. But against McKinney, his game plan unraveled almost instantly. With no chance to get his own offense going, Borshchev was stuck defending a storm of grappling attacks that didn’t let up until it was all over.
The loss puts Borshchev in a tough spot. Two straight defeats in the UFC’s lightweight shark tank can spell trouble for any fighter looking to rise through the ranks. There’s talk about what changes he might need to make—maybe tightening up his takedown defense or switching up his camp’s strategy. No one questions his heart or his skills on the feet, but the ground game gap was clear against McKinney.
Meanwhile, McKinney’s stock just keeps rising. He proved he’s not just a quick hitter, but also a calculated finisher once things hit the mat. With performances like these, the question isn’t if he'll get a shot at bigger names, but when. His blend of speed, aggression, and submission savvy makes him one to watch as the UFC lightweight division continues to evolve. And with every fight, he rewrites what it means to be a true finisher in modern MMA.