Michael McDonald
UFC 2011–present · rated in 3 editions · peak overall 80.0
Scouting report
Michael "Mayday" McDonald challenged for the UFC interim bantamweight title at age 22, among the youngest fighters ever to challenge for a UFC championship. Born in Modesto, California, McDonald scored knockouts over Miguel Torres and Brad Pickett, his hands captured by an 86 Boxing score and 80 BJJ.
Peak ratings
By edition
McDonald knocked out Miguel Torres in the first round at UFC 145 in Atlanta, earning an interim championship opportunity against Renan Barao at UFC on Fuel TV 7 in London, where he was submitted by fourth-round arm-triangle choke before rebounding with a triangle choke finish of Brad Pickett at UFC Fight Night 26 in Boston. His knockout power and grappling are captured in an 86 Boxing and 80 BJJ.
Following a submission loss to Urijah Faber at UFC on Fox 9 in late 2013, McDonald missed all of 2014 and 2015 due to hand and wrist surgeries. His standing as a heavy-handed puncher was preserved in his 85 Boxing and 80 Durability ratings throughout this layoff.
McDonald returned in January 2016 at UFC 195 in Las Vegas, submitting Masanori Kanehara with a rear-naked choke after surviving early ground trouble, then dropped a first-round knockout loss to John Lineker in Sioux Falls at UFC Fight Night 91 before departing the promotion. His punching power and submission resilience anchor his 84 Boxing and 80 BJJ scores.
Draft Michael McDonald into your build
Michael McDonald enters the pool on any spin landing on bantamweight between 2010 and 2017. Spin, draft eight attributes, then simulate 25 fights.
Ratings shown are our own, built from independent research and from how Michael McDonald is regarded by the MMA community, with the EA Sports UFC games used only as a starting baseline for the scale. They are unofficial and do not constitute an assessment of Michael McDonald's real-world abilities. See the disclaimer below.