UFC hopeful Nick Newell has one hand - and has just racked up his 14th win

And the Massachusetts native has called for the UFC to give him a chance at the big time

American lightweight Nick Newell returned from an early retirement to score an impressive victory at Legacy Fighting Alliance 35, an MMA event in Houston, on Saturday night. It was his first bout in two and a half years, and it saw him mark his competitive return with a first-round submission win.

Newell, 31, was born without a left hand and forearm. But the athlete hasn't let disability stand in the way of forging a successful competitive career, having made a name for himself as a collegiate wrestler before embarking on a professional career as an MMA fighter.

The Massachusetts native has compiled an impressive pro-MMA record of 14-1, with 12 of those wins coming inside the distance. He’s been able to secure nine of his wins by submission, using a variety of techniques - armbar, guillotine choke, rear-naked choke, heel hook and, in his win this past weekend, face crank.

Guidance: the video below contains scenes of MMA violence

Newell’s lone defeat was also a notable one, as it came against Justin Gaethje, who was the World Series of Fighting lightweight champion at the time, and who is currently the number-six-ranked contender in the UFC’s talent-stacked lightweight division.

Now Newell has UFC aspirations of his own and, following his impressive first-round finish in Houston at the weekend, has called on the UFC’s matchmakers to give him a shot on the big stage.

“Life is a cold, hard place. It will chew you up and spit you out,” Newell said.

“You can either become a victim of circumstances or you can create your own. I’m out here, I’m creating my own circumstances."

“I’m one of the best fighters in the world and I belong in the UFC. That’s it. That’s final. I gave you 14 reasons why I belong in the UFC. I’m one of the best fighters in the world and I proved it 14 times.”

Now all that remains is for him to be given a shot in the UFC. Watch this space…

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