ION CUȚELABA

Ion Cuțelaba is a Moldovan athlete who competes as a light heavyweight. He built a versatile base in Judo, Sambo, and Greco-Roman wrestling before turning professional in 2012. Since joining the UFC roster in 2016, the orthodox fighter has cultivated a reputation for high-intensity, aggressive matchups. Over the course of his tenure, he has earned significant victories against several opponents, including Khalil Rountree Jr., Gadzhimurad Antigulov, and Tanner Boser.

Entering this competition with a professional mark of 17-9-1 and one no contest, Cuțelaba arrives following a mixed stretch of performances. He rebounded from a three-fight skid featuring submission losses to Ryan Spann and Johnny Walker, along with a stoppage defeat against Kennedy Nzechukwu. Most recently, he achieved a technical knockout victory over Tanner Boser in April 2023. This followed a unanimous decision win against Devin Clark in 2021.