Jeremiah Wells just pulled off one of the wildest upsets of 2026 tonight, choking out Myktybek Orolbai, who was the biggest favorite on the entire UFC 330 card, in a absolutely stunning late submission. This wasn’t just a win, it was a movie script ending, especially when you factor in what Wells said afterward.
Nobody Believed It Could Happen, Except Maybe Wells
Picture this: Orolbai walks in as a ridiculous 10-to-1 favorite. Ten to one! Wells was sitting at +750, basically a sacrificial lamb set up for Orolbai’s highlight reel. Even in his own hometown of Philadelphia, the crowd wasn’t really with Wells at the start. You had the Kyrgyzstan contingent for Orolbai making all the noise. It felt like everyone, including the Philly faithful, was ready for the expected narrative to play out. But Wells, though, had other plans. He actually rattled Orolbai several times in the opening minutes of the fight, hinting at the power he carried. Then, Orolbai did what he was supposed to do, using his superior grappling to dominate the rest of the first round and carry that control straight into the second. It looked like the fairytale was over before it began, right?
The Signature Move That Shook Everything
But Round 3, man. Round 3 connected all the dots from the first two. Wells stunned Orolbai with a combination, just like he did at the start of the bout. Orolbai, probably dazed but still confident in his wrestling, went for the takedown that had served him so well. And that’s when Wells sprung the trap. He capitalized big time with a power guillotine that put Orolbai to sleep. Unconscious! Just like that, the 10-to-1 favorite was limp on the mat. “I catch everyone with that. Even Joe Pyfer,” Wells told Joe Rogan post-fight. “That’s my signature move.” Talk about calling your shot, and then delivering!
Wells, who’s 39 years old, then took his gloves off. Think about that for a second. Winning perhaps the biggest upset of the year in his hometown, against the card’s biggest favorite, and then potentially walking away. He reflected on working in that very arena years ago, telling matchmaker Sean Shelby that one day he’d fight there for the UFC. Now he’s done it. Unless the UFC offers him a top-15 opponent, Wells sees no better way to retire than to go out victoriously, right then and there. What a story, what a moment.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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