UFC Des Moines was a hit, and it became successful 3 days before the scheduled date. Yes, Chael Sonnen, during his response to the ‘MMA in recession’ claim, revealed that UFC Des Moines was sold out with over 14K fans planning to attend the event. Of course, the credit went to the main eventers. But it seems like Jeremy Stephens also played a part in it. After all, his dominance over Eddie Alvarez under the banner of Conor McGregor’s BKFC made him a prominent spot on the map. Soon, he also became one of the reasons for Dana White’s recent success with a matchup against Mason Jones. 

Following the events of BKFC Knucklemania V, McGregor was absolutely impressed with the skills that Stephens brought into the ring. But do you know what truly made ‘The Notorious’ happy? It was the kind of crowd that Stephens and Alvarez managed to pull into Wells Fargo Center, Philly. According to the famed MMA reporter, Ariel Helwani, the number exceeded any MMA or boxing event in modern Philadelphia. Taking to X, Helwani wrote, “Tonights’s BKFC Knucklemania V attendance at Wells Fargo Center in Philly is 17,762. That’s more than any MMA or boxing event in modern Philly history.”

This time around, at UFC Des Moines, Stephens and the others managed to reel in a crowd of 15,627 fight fans. And the announced gate pointed at $2,476,690. Needless to say, Stephens was a good luck charm for Dana White, as well. ‘Lil’ Heathen’, after losing to Jones at UFC Des Moines, shared a cascade of posts on Instagram. Therein, the former BKFC undefeated star wrote in the caption, “Another sold out [Wells Fargo Center]. THAT’S NUMBER 2 FOR THIS YEAR. First it was [Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship] .. then [UFC]. After 4 years away from the UFC and 8 weeks to prepare I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to give my hometown DES MOINES, IOWA A SHOW. YALL SHOWED UP AND SHOWED OUT AND IM FOREVER GRATEFUL. JUST KNOW… WE AINT DONE.”

In case you’re wondering, this wasn’t Stephens’ first fight in the UFC. He already had a record of 15 wins and 18 losses before he went to try his luck in boxing. After claiming 3 back-to-back wins at BKFC, ‘Lil’ Heathen’ seemed confident and decided to step back into the Octagon. But do you know the story behind it? Let

How did Jeremy Stephens get hold of Dana White’s one-and-done contract?

Following his impressive win over Alvarez at BKFC Knucklemania V, Stephens had a brief interaction with Helwani on his YouTube talk show. Therein, ‘Lil’ Heathen’ revealed that he was on the flight to Des Moines, his birthplace, when he sent a direct message to White. Well, it was something that his wife had penned down. He pushed the send button and switched his phone off. But little did he expect that he would actually receive a response from White, asking him to connect with Hunter Campbell, the UFC CBO. 

Stephens said, “I turn off my phone and I go spend the whole week in Des Moines. I didn’t hear back from him. I wake up on my uncle’s couch at four in the morning to head back home to San Diego, and I’ve got a message from him at one in the morning. It was like, ‘Hey man. I’ve lost my phone contacts. I’ve been trying to get a hold of you.’ And this is from Dana. He’s like, ‘Hit me up, give me your number. Would love to hear from you. I’ll have Hunter contact you.’”

Unfortunately, the 38-year-old lightweight contender was unable to secure a win against Jones in his hometown. Even though Stephens brought in his A-class striking skills, he ran a little low on kicks and ground control. On the other hand, Jones took control of the bout and ultimately won via a unanimous decision. We can perhaps blame the short time he got to prepare for the bout. In reality, he received just 8 weeks to get himself ready for his UFC return. Nevertheless, we can certainly expect Stephens to claim a win in his next bout, even if it may not be in the UFC, can’t we? 

What are your thoughts on Stephen’s one-fight deal for UFC Des Moines? At 38, do you think he can become a bankable star across multiple promotions? Let us know what you think in the comments down below.