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Ion Cuțelaba
Moldovan mixed martial arist From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Ion Cuțelaba (born 14 December 1993)[4] is a Moldovan professional mixed martial artist who currently competes in the Light Heavyweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC).
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Background
Born and raised in Chișinău, Cuțelaba began training and competing in Greco-Roman wrestling as an adolescent.[2] He additionally competed in Sambo and Judo, becoming a national champion in both.[1] In 2012, representing Moldova, Cuțelaba finished first in the 90 kg category of the European Sambo Championships.[2]
Mixed martial arts career
Summarize
Perspective
Early career
Cuțelaba made his professional debut in April 2012, competing primarily for regional promotions across Eastern Europe. He amassed a record of 11-1 (1) before signing with the UFC in the spring of 2016.[1]
Ultimate Fighting Championship
2016
Cuțelaba made his promotional debut against Misha Cirkunov on 18 June 2016, at UFC Fight Night 89.[5] He lost the fight via submission in the third round.[6]
Cuțelaba next faced Jonathan Wilson on 1 October 2016, at UFC Fight Night 96. He won the fight via unanimous decision.[7]
Cuțelaba next faced Jared Cannonier on 3 December 2016, at The Ultimate Fighter 24 Finale.[8] He lost the fight via unanimous decision.[9] Subsequently, both fighters earned Fight of the Night honors.[10]
2017
Cuțelaba faced Henrique da Silva on 11 June 2017, at UFC Fight Night 110.[11] He won the fight via knockout in the opening minute of the first round.[12]
Cuțelaba was expected to face Gadzhimurad Antigulov on 4 November 2017, at UFC 217.[13] However, Antigulov pulled out of the fight on 26 September citing an injury and was replaced by newcomer Michał Oleksiejczuk.[14] In turn after the weigh-ins, Cuțelaba was pulled from the event by USADA due to a potential Anti-Doping Policy violation stemming from its investigation into voluntary disclosures by Cuțelaba during an out-of-competition sample collections on 18 and 19 October. He was provisionally suspended and the bout was scrapped.[15] USADA handed down a six-month suspension for ozone therapy involving a blood transfusion which is prohibited under 2018 World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) list on manipulation of blood component. Cuțelaba became eligible to fight again on 6 May 2018.[16]
2018
The bout with Antigulov eventually took place on 28 July 2018, at UFC on Fox 30.[17] Cuțelaba won the fight via TKO in the first round.[18]
2019
Cuțelaba was scheduled to face Glover Teixeira on 19 January 2019, at UFC Fight Night 143.[19] However, on 10 January 2019, Cuțelaba was pulled out of the bout due to an injury.[20] The pair was rescheduled to meet at UFC Fight Night: Jacaré vs. Hermansson on 27 April 2019.[21] Cuțelaba lost via a rear-naked-choke submission at 3:37 in the second round.[22]
Cuțelaba faced Khalil Rountree Jr. on 28 September 2019, at UFC Fight Night 160.[23] He won via TKO in the first round.[24]
2020
Cuțelaba faced Magomed Ankalaev on 29 February 2020, at UFC Fight Night 169.[25] He lost the fight via TKO in the first round.[26] The loss was controversial as referee Kevin MacDonald stopped the bout believing Cuțelaba was out on his feet after a flurry of strikes from Ankalaev, which Cuțelaba immediately protested.[27] The stoppage was heavily criticized by media outlets, fighters, and fans as being premature.[28][29][30] Cuțelaba appealed the loss, which was subsequently denied by the Virginia athletic commission.[31][32][33]
Due to the controversy of the stoppage, the UFC rebooked the pair on 18 April 2020, to meet at UFC 249.[34] However, Ankalaev was forced to withdraw from the event due to COVID-19 pandemic travel restriction, with Cuțelaba being rescheduled to face Ovince Saint Preux on April 25, 2020.[35] However, on 9 April, UFC president Dana White announced that the event was postponed to a future date[36] The rematch with Ankalaev was expected to take place on 15 August 2020, at UFC 252.[37] Cuțelaba then pulled out on 11 August after testing positive for COVID-19 and the bout was rescheduled for UFC Fight Night 175.[38] However, the day of the event, the bout was once again scrapped after Cuțelaba tested positive for COVID-19 for a second time.[39] The bout rescheduled for the third time and they met on 24 October 2020 at UFC 254.[40] Cuțelaba lost the fight via knockout in round one.[41]
2021
Cuțelaba was scheduled to face Devin Clark on 1 May 2021, at UFC on ESPN: Reyes vs. Procházka.[42] However, Clark pulled out from the event, citing injury, and he was replaced by Dustin Jacoby.[43] Cuțelaba dominated the first round, however Jacoby came back in the second and third rounds with the fight ending in a split draw.[44]
The bout between Cuțelaba and Clark took place on 18 September 2021, at UFC Fight Night 192.[45] Cuțelaba knocked down Clark in round one, going on to dominate the bout and won by unanimous decision.[46]
2022
Cuțelaba was scheduled to face Ryan Spann on 26 February 2022, at UFC Fight Night 202.[47] However, Spann was pulled from the event due to injury[48] and the bout was rescheduled for UFC on ESPN 36.[49] He lost the bout via guillotine choke in the first round.[50]
Cuțelaba faced Johnny Walker on 10 September 2022, at UFC 279.[51] He lost the fight by a rear-naked choke submission in the first round.[52]
Cuțelaba faced Kennedy Nzechukwu on 19 November 2022, at UFC Fight Night 215.[53] He lost the fight via technical knockout in round two.[54]
2023
Cuțelaba faced Tanner Boser on 15 April 2023, at UFC on ESPN 44.[55] He won the fight via first-round technical knockout.[56]
Cuțelaba was scheduled to face Ovince Saint Preux on 5 August 2023, at UFC on ESPN 50.[57] However, the bout was cancelled on 20 July for unknown reasons.[58]
Cuțelaba was scheduled to face Philipe Lins on 7 October 2023 at UFC Fight Night 229.[59] However the bout was cancelled the day of the event for unknown reasons.[60]
2024
Cuțelaba faced Philipe Lins on 9 March 2024, at UFC 299.[61] He lost the fight by unanimous decision.[62]
Cutelaba faced promotional newcomer Ivan Erslan on 28 September 2024 at UFC Fight Night 243.[63] He won the fight by split decision.[64]
2025
Cuțelaba faced Ibo Aslan on 22 February 2025 at UFC Fight Night 252.[65] He won the fight via an arm-triangle choke submission in the first round.[66]
Cuțelaba faced former Cage Warriors Light Heavyweight Champion Modestas Bukauskas on 10 May 2025 at UFC 315.[67] He lost the fight by split decision.[68]
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Personal life
Championships and accomplishments
Mixed martial arts
- Ultimate Fighting Championship
- Fight of the Night (One time) vs. Jared Cannonier[10]
Sambo
- European Combat Sambo Federation
- 2012 European Combat Sambo Championships
(90 kg)[2]
- 2012 European Combat Sambo Championships
Mixed martial arts record
Summarize
Perspective
| 32 matches | 19 wins | 11 losses |
| By knockout | 13 | 3 |
| By submission | 3 | 4 |
| By decision | 3 | 3 |
| By disqualification | 0 | 1 |
| Draws | 1 | |
| No contests | 1 | |
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See also
References
External links
Wikiwand - on
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