The Cincinnati Bengals saw him first! It’s been quite an eventful draft for the Bengals as they searched for a star to keep their QB Joe Burrow safe. After patiently waiting until the third round of the NFL Draft, the team landed its rookie offensive guard. As per ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr., the 22-year-old is impressive in pass protection.  Now, with the new names of Scott Peters and Michael McCarthy in the roster, the arrival of the rookie has placed a fascinating spin on the equation.

“As a pass blocker, I thought Fairchild showed good technique. He has some force behind him and he anchors pretty well. So this kid’s got talent. He needs some coaching. … I thought the ability was there,” Kiper Jr. said. The 6-foot-5 lineman started 24 games over his last two seasons at Georgia. His resume also includes Second-Team All-American honors. He was drafted 81st overall. It’s a win-win situation for the Bengals, and they’re proud to have landed their guy, Dylan Fairchild.

As much as the team couldn’t help but hilariously pull their defensive maneuvers fast when a pang of fear of losing the star hit them. Fret not, the 22-year-old isn’t going anywhere! Here is what happened. Apart from blocking defensive tackles, Fairchild has another hidden talent of scoring takedowns on the mat! Cincinnati Bengals #63 just had an intriguing matchup against mixed martial artist Sean Strickland and left everyone amazed with his skills.

With an impressed audience and netizens praising the NFL star, the official Championship Rounds page even offered him to consider a UFC stint after his NFL career. “Sean Strickland wrestles with NFL offensive lineman Dylan Fairchild “A 300+ pound man shouldn’t be able to hit an ankle pick like that.. When you’re done with the NFL… UFC??” the post featuring the clip of their bout was captioned.

The official X page of the Bengals was quick to respond to the post with a smirking face emoji. “We drafted this guy,” the caption read. The Bengals can hardly contain their excitement, and the fans are hyped up too.

Fairchild is practicing for a key position on the offensive line, between two experienced leaders from last season, left tackle Orlando Brown Jr. and center Ted Karras. Fairchild’s skills are praised by analysts, including ESPN draft host Mike Greenberg. Before his action in the pro game, he is collecting praise from MMA greats too.

Sean Strickland was awestruck by Dylan Fairchild’s skills

After his last stint with Dricus Du Plessis, Strickland got in the octagon for some action with the rookie offensive lineman and was impressed to see how good he was. The sparring session of the 318-pound Bengals player giving the MMA star tough competition quickly made the rounds on social media after it was shared.

Later, Strickland, who seemingly appeared to be struggling, decided to give the flowers to the young star. “The man can wrestle,” he wrote on IG. Is Fairchild perhaps new to the octagon? Not at all! He was a high school wrestling champion who fought for a Class 7A state wrestling title.

He ended his career with a 67-0 record. The Bengals star also won two heavyweight state titles and finished 22-0 as a senior at the West Forsyth High School in Cumming, Georgia. No wonder the other tournaments are also eyeing him.

Jokes apart, this is a fascinating time for the Bengals, now having Fairchild on their roster. Another intriguing aspect of Bengals# 63 joining the team is his reunion with former Georgia teammate Amarius Mims, who had high praise for the star. “Strongest dude I ever met in my life. Pound for pound. He has that factor about him. Not just in a game, but in regular life. I feel bad if he gets his hand on a regular pedestrian just walking down the street. If it’s not a football player, he’ll probably (do damage),” Mims said.

Safe to say, the Bengals are cooking up ways to put their powerhouse in action for the 2025 season.