Fabià Sintes can already say it: he has won in UFC.
The Menorcan fighter beat Michael Aljarouj by unanimous decision in UFC Paris and completed probably the most important step of his career so far.
The scorecards were 29-28, 29-28 and 29-27.
But the value of victory goes well beyond three numbers.
Sintes made his debut in UFC, he did it outside Spain, against a French opponent and inside an Accor Arena completely focused on Aljarouj. In addition, he did not have the typical opponent chosen to facilitate the presentation of a new signing.
Aljarouj also arrived as regional champion and with enough arguments to justify his entry into UFC.
The fight began precisely by showing why the debut was not going to be easy.
The Frenchman used his mobility and kicks well during the first few minutes, trying to keep Sintes out of the distance where he could introduce his wrestling.
Sintes did not rush.
And that is probably one of the best news that its premiere leaves.
Many fighters come to UFC trying to prove too much during the first few minutes. They look for the knockout, speed up exchanges they don't need and end up paying for the nerves of the debut.
The Spaniard did the opposite.
He progressively understood the fight.
When he realised that Aljarouj could be uncomfortable from a distance, he began to reduce spaces and look more and more for the melee.
The second round completely changed the dynamic.
Sintes managed to bring the Frenchman to the ground and began to impose the type of combat that best suited him. From above he was able to control, strike and force Aljarouj to defend for long periods.
A guillotine even appeared that was close to ending the fight.
The submission did not come, but something almost as important for a debutant: the feeling that he had found the key to the fight.
The third round confirmed that reading.
Sintes brought down again and used his grappling to practically minimise the chances of Aljarouj regaining the initiative.
I no longer needed to desperately search for a finish.
I needed to win.
And he did.
It may seem like a small difference, but it says a lot about their competitive maturity.
Fabià Sintes did not get his first victory in UFC because he found an isolated blow or an unexpected submission.
He achieved it by adapting.
He began the fight encountering difficulties, identified where he had an advantage and ended up imposing precisely that phase during the decisive minutes.
Those types of victories usually teach a lot more about a fighter than a knockout in thirty seconds.
Sintes also arrives in UFC with a fairly defined identity.
It does not depend solely on one tool.
He can punch, he has the physical ability to close distance and, especially, he has a grappling and submission game that can become his biggest argument within flyweight.
His career before UFC had already shown that ability.
He arrived as WOW champion and with an important streak of victories, but the octagon always represents another test.
The competitive jump, the dimensions of the event, the spotlights and the pressure mean that many fighters who seemed prepared out of UFC need time to adapt.
Sintes has eliminated the first doubt at the first opportunity.
And they did so against an opponent who did not arrive as a filler either.
That does not mean that the Spaniard should immediately become a contender for the ranking.
Flyweight has a lot of level and the difference between competing against good European fighters and facing the upper UFC is still huge.
That is precisely why it is appropriate to value this victory for what it really is.
A very serious first step.
Now UFC can build his career progressively.
A second fight against another young rival in the category would allow us to see if he can repeat that performance without the emotional component of the debut and continue developing his striking to accompany a grappling that already seems ready to generate problems within the company.
For the Spanish MMA, moreover, the victory comes at a particularly necessary time.
Spain has undergone a huge transformation in recent years within UFC.
Ilia Topuria completely changed the international perception of the country's level. Joel Alvarez showed that a Spanish fighter could establish himself for years within one of the company's deepest categories and other names have begun to make their way to the highest level.
But building a true generation needs more than just a big star.
It needs depth.
He needs fighters capable of UFC, stay and win.
Sintes has just provided exactly that.
His victory in Paris does not yet have the impact of a great fight in Topuria nor does he intend to have it.
But perhaps it is more important from another point of view.
It shows that behind the figures we already know, Spanish talent continues to appear capable of entering directly into UFC and competing.
It also breaks a recent dynamic that is quite negative for Spanish representatives within the company.
The added pressure existed.
Sintes turned it into motivation.
After the fight he was excited to have fulfilled the dream of winning debut and also recalled that the fight coincided with his daughter's birthday.
A night that is difficult to improve.
Paris will probably be remembered mainly for the spectacular debut of Salahdine Parnasse, for the knockout of Axel Sola or for the great performances of the main card.
For the Spanish MMA, however, there was another moment that deserves to stay.
When Fabià Sintes heard his name after three rounds and raised his arms for the first time inside an octagon of UFC.
The first one is already there.
Now he really begins his career in the company.