Kody Steele Lost UFC Debut, Then Won in Perth
Kody Steele made his promotional debut in Sydney at UFC 312 in February 2025 against Rongzhu. He lost by unanimous decision, with all three judges scoring the fight 30–27. The fight took place at a February 2025 Sydney card; the official scorecards confirm the result.
Steele earned his first win in the promotion on May 2, 2026, submitting Dom Mar Fan with a heel hook at 3:56 of Round 1. His official fighter profile lists both results. The original video above is Steele’s vlog from his debut weekend.
The route to the Sydney debut
Steele earned his UFC contract through Dana White’s Contender Series on October 8, 2024. He stopped Chasen Blair with punches at 4:07 of the second round at UFC APEX in Las Vegas. The victory brought his professional record to seven wins without a defeat and secured his place among that week’s contract winners.
The Rongzhu contest was a different test: Steele completed three rounds in his first UFC appearance but lost each judge’s decision. The matchup nevertheless earned Fight of the Night honors at UFC 312, giving his debut a notable distinction despite the defeat. The video above documents the debut weekend rather than his later victory.
A later breakthrough in Perth
Steele’s first UFC win came in another Australian appearance, this time in Perth in May 2026. The heel-hook finish against Dom Mar Fan provided a submission victory after the decision loss in Sydney. Those two results mark separate stages of his UFC career: the initial promotional debut and the later first win.
Additional source: Sherdog: Steele earns his UFC contract.
