Ruffy put on a show in his UFC debutCredit: Getty

Ruffy put on a striking clinic and finished his opponent with a flurry of strikes at the end of round one, but it was something he did moments before that caught the attention of UFC fans worldwide.

The 30-year-old jumped two-footed at Mullarkey’s feet to pull off the rarely-seen scissor sweep takedown – and it almost worked perfectly.

Ruffy got his rival down but ended up in the bottom position before getting into a wrestling exchange and working his way back to the feet where he finished the fight seconds later.

UFC commentator Din Thomas boldly branded Ruffy a ‘young Conor McGregor’ before fans flooded social media with comments about a new star being born.

One person tweeted: “Shockingly impressive performance. This guy is special.”

Another said: “Unreal performance from Ruffy.”

A third person commented: Mauricio Ruffy is a star in the making

Someone else wrote: Dude… A star is born. Mauricio Ruffy.”

He closed the show with 18 seconds left of round oneCredit: Getty

Ruffy was quickly compared to UFC superstar Conor McGregorCredit: Zuffa LLC via Getty

UFC CEO Dana White raved: “This guy is an absolute BEAST! One of the best UFC debuts of all time by Mauricio Ruffy! #Nowyouknow.”

Ruffy’s post-fight speech made even more people compare him to McGregor.

The 9-1 fighter immediately sent a message to lightweight champion Islam Makhachev during his post-fight interview with former dual-weight UFC champion Daniel Cormier.

“Enjoy your days at the top,” Ruffy said via a translator.

“I know you’re upset cause I beat your friend, but enjoy your days, because a new king is coming.”

Ruffy welcomed comparisons to McGregor and admitted he tries to emulate the Irishman, who is undoubtedly the biggest star in UFC history, during his post-fight press conference.

YOU DON'T SEE A SCISSOR SWEEP EVERYDAY ✂️#UFC301 pic.twitter.com/R6qVDIhUy2

— UFC (@ufc) May 4, 2024

“The guy had a great history in the UFC,” he said. “I try to mirror myself in him.

“He’s a guy who taught everyone how to make money in fights.”

Ruffy is likely to walk away from UFC 301 with a $50,000 bonus.

After he’s spent a little time enjoying his win and newfound fame, the Brazilian will begin training for what will be an eagerly anticipated second fight in the Octagon.