In an exciting night of “Dana White’s Contender Series,” Artem Vakhitov proved his worth on the global stage with an impressive first-round TKO victory over Islem Masraf.
Vakhitov wins by knockout: Pereira opens the doors to the UFC for him.
فاخيتوف ينتصر بالضربة القاضية: بيريرا يفتح له أبواب UFC
Vakhitov l'emporte par KO : Pereira lui ouvre les portes de l'UFC. pic.twitter.com/ntBlKf0SL9
— mmamag.ma (@jamalsoussi10) October 10, 2024
However, his UFC contract wouldn’t have materialized without the intervention of his former kickboxing rival, Alex Pereira, who played a pivotal role in convincing Dana White.
Initially hesitant to sign Vakhitov, a former two-time Glory light heavyweight champion, Dana White admitted that it was Pereira who made the strongest case for Vakhitov.
Pereira, who won their first kickboxing bout before losing in the rematch, showed great respect for Vakhitov’s skills and his ability to perform under pressure.
During the post-fight press conference, White revealed that Pereira had praised Vakhitov’s talent, saying, “He is talented enough and deserves to be here in the UFC.”
Pereira also noted that the Contender Series places significant mental pressure on fighters, which might affect their performance. Pereira joked, “I’m glad I never had to go through the Contender Series.”
White also expressed his admiration for the success of kickboxers transitioning to the UFC, specifically mentioning Alex Pereira and Israel Adesanya.
Dana White explains how Alex Pereira convinced him to sign Artem Vakhitov to the UFC.
دانا وايت يشرح كيف أقنعه أليكس بيريرا بالتعاقد مع أرتيم فاخيتوف في UFC
Dana White explique comment Alex Pereira l’a convaincu de signer Artem Vakhitov à l'UFC. pic.twitter.com/le22y1YNEv
— mmamag.ma (@jamalsoussi10) October 10, 2024
He emphasized that many of these fighters, who may not have had the opportunity to shine elsewhere, have found in the UFC a platform to change their lives.
