Justin Willis

Justin Willis, nicknamed Big Pretty, is a heavyweight striker from East Palo Alto, California who parlayed a college football background into a professional MMA career beginning in 2012. After building a solid amateur and regional record, he earned his UFC contract and made an impressive Octagon debut in July 2017, winning a unanimous decision over James Mulheron in his first appearance. Willis quickly made a name for himself as a dangerous power puncher, highlighted by a stunning first-round knockout of Allen Crowder at UFC 218 that announced him as a legitimate heavyweight threat.

Willis's offensive approach is rooted in distance striking and explosive hand speed, landing the majority of his significant strikes while standing and banking four knockout victories in the promotion. He maintained momentum through 2018 with victories over Chase Sherman and veteran Mark Hunt, both via decision, suggesting he could operate effectively against varied competition. However, his March 2019 bout with rising contender Curtis Blaydes exposed critical gaps in his defensive wrestling. Blaydes controlled him through takedowns and ground pressure across three rounds, handing Willis a clean unanimous-decision loss that foreshadowed the end of his UFC tenure.

Willis was released by the UFC shortly after the Blaydes fight and subsequently signed with the Professional Fighters League in 2020. At 35 years old and with an 8-2 record, he remains a power-punching heavyweight capable of finishing fights explosively, but his inability to defend elite wrestling suggests a ceiling in top-tier competition. His legacy in the UFC is one of an entertaining finisher who flashed promise against mid-tier opposition but couldn't break through against the division's elite wrestlers.