One of the fascinating potential UFC Mild Heavyweight prospects is transferring to greener pastures.
Artem Vakhitov is a extremely completed skilled kickboxer, a former two-time GLORY champion with 5 title defenses. For UFC followers, his most notable accomplishment is a call victory over Alex Pereira, which passed off shortly earlier than “Poatan” took the MMA world by storm.
In 2023, Vakhitov adopted Pereira into cage preventing and rapidly put collectively a 2-1 report on the regional scene. His historical past with Pereira — and, in fact, Pereira’s personal story of following Israel Adesanya all the best way to UFC gold — generated some hype, resulting in an early shot on Contenders Collection in October 2024. Vakhitov made the a lot of the alternative, scoring a first-round knockout and seemingly incomes a UFC contract within the course of.
With Alex Pereira’s approval, in reality.
Vakhitov was nonetheless a great distance off from any type of rubber match along with his Brazilian rival, however there aren’t many causes to be excited in regards to the 205-pound division in 2025. Vakhitov was certainly one of them, an thrilling kickboxer with huge energy who has historical past with the division’s champion greatest star.
Now not.
Dutch newspaper “De Telegraaf” stories that Rico Verhoeven will defend his HW title at #GLORY100 on June 14th in opposition to Artem Vakhitov.
— Marcel Dorff (@BigMarcel24) March 21, 2025
Per a report from Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf, Vakhitov is returning to the GLORY Kickboxing ring to problem longtime Heavyweight kingpin Rico Verhoeven for his title. Vakhitov vs. Verhoeven will happen on June 14 on the GLORY 100 occasion from a to-be-decided location within the Netherlands.
Traditionally, UFC is NOT a fan of sharing its athletes or letting them compete in different fight sports activities (except for jiu-jitsu). It stands to purpose that with Vakhitov preventing Verhoeven this summer time, he won’t be making his UFC debut anytime quickly.
Probably, a significant factor in Vakhitov’s determination — except for a budget Contenders Collection contract payouts — was GLORY lifting the Russian ban final month. In June 2022, GLORY terminated the contract of all Russian athletes in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, however that modified in February. Vakhitov is now welcome again within the GLORY ring and not has to fret about that fancy grappling stuff.
