Ion Cuțelaba

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]

Cuțelaba made his promotional debut against Misha Cirkunov on June 18, 2016, at UFC Fight Night 89.[4] He lost the fight via submission in the third round.[5]

Cuțelaba next faced Jonathan Wilson on October 1, 2016, at UFC Fight Night 96. He won the fight via unanimous decision.[6]

Cuțelaba next faced Jared Cannonier on December 3, 2016, at The Ultimate Fighter 24 Finale.[7] He lost the fight via unanimous decision.[8] Subsequently, both fighters earned Fight of the Night honors.[9]

Cuțelaba faced Henrique da Silva on June 11, 2017, at UFC Fight Night 110.[10] He won the fight via knockout in the opening minute of the first round.[11]

Cuțelaba was expected to face Gadzhimurad Antigulov on November 4, 2017, at UFC 217.[12] However, Antigulov pulled out of the fight on September 26 citing an injury and was replaced by newcomer Michał Oleksiejczuk.[13] 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 October 18 and October 19. He was provisionally suspended and the bout was scrapped.[14] 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 May 6, 2018.[15]

The bout with Antigulov eventually took place on July 28, 2018, at UFC on Fox 30.[16] Cuțelaba won the fight via TKO in the first round.[17]

Cuțelaba was scheduled to face Glover Teixeira on January 19, 2019, at UFC Fight Night 143.[18] However, on January 10, 2019, Cuțelaba was pulled out of the bout due to an injury.[19] The pair was rescheduled to meet at UFC Fight Night: Jacaré vs. Hermansson on April 27, 2019.[20] Cuțelaba lost via a rear-naked-choke submission at 3:37 in the second round.[21]

Cuțelaba faced Khalil Rountree Jr. on September 28, 2019, at UFC Fight Night 160.[22] He won via TKO in the first round.[23]

Cuțelaba faced Magomed Ankalaev on February 29, 2020, at UFC Fight Night 169.[24] He lost the fight via TKO in the first round.[25] 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.[26] The stoppage was heavily criticized by media outlets, fighters, and fans as being premature.[27][28][29] Cuțelaba appealed the loss, which was subsequently denied by the Virginia athletic commission.[30][31][32]

Due to the controversy of the stoppage, the UFC rebooked the pair on April 18, 2020, to meet at UFC 249.[33] 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.[34] However, on April 9, UFC president Dana White announced that the event was postponed to a future date[35] The rematch with Ankalaev was expected to take place on August 15, 2020, at UFC 252.[36] Cuțelaba then pulled out on August 11 after testing positive for COVID-19 and the bout was rescheduled for UFC Fight Night 175.[37] However, the day of the event, the bout was once again scrapped after Cuțelaba tested positive for COVID-19 for a second time.[38] The bout rescheduled for the third time and they met on October 24, 2020 at UFC 254.[39] Cuțelaba lost the fight via knockout in round one.[40]

Cuțelaba was scheduled to face Devin Clark on May 1, 2021, at UFC on ESPN: Reyes vs. Procházka.[41] However, Clark pulled out from the event, citing injury, and he was replaced by Dustin Jacoby.[42] Cuțelaba dominated the first round, however Jacoby came back in the second and third rounds with the fight ending in a split draw.[43]

The bout between Cuțelaba and Clark took place on September 18, 2021, at UFC Fight Night 192.[44] Cuțelaba knocked down Clark in round one, going on to dominate the bout and won by unanimous decision.[45]

Cuțelaba was scheduled to face Ryan Spann on February 26, 2022, at UFC Fight Night 202.[46] However, Spann was pulled from the event due to injury[47] and the bout was rescheduled for UFC on ESPN 36.[48] He lost the bout via guillotine choke in the first round.[49]

Cuțelaba faced Johnny Walker on September 10, 2022, at UFC 279.[50] He lost the fight by a rear-naked choke submission in the first round.[51]

Cuțelaba faced Kennedy Nzechukwu on November 19, 2022, at UFC Fight Night 215.[52] He lost the fight via technical knockout in round two.[53]

Cuțelaba faced Tanner Boser on April 15, 2023, at UFC on ESPN 44.[54] He won the fight via first-round technical knockout.[55]

Cuțelaba was scheduled to face Ovince Saint Preux on August 5, 2023, at UFC on ESPN 50.[56] However, the bout was cancelled on July 20 for unknown reasons.[57]

Cuțelaba was scheduled to face Philipe Lins on October 7, 2023 at UFC Fight Night 229.[58] However the bout was cancelled the day of the event for unknown reasons.[59]

• Ultimate Fighting Championship
  • Fight of the Night (One time) vs. Jared Cannonier

• European Combat Sambo Federation
  • 2012 European Combat Sambo Championships (90 kg)[2]