ARTICLE AD BOX
In the second half of 2021, the UFC signed Alex Pereira, who was already known as a great kickboxer with massive success in the fighting world. This great fighter left a deep mark with extraordinary performances, which still capture the attention of fans of this sport. The Brazilian really showed that he deserves a chance.
His rivalry with Israel Adesanya, the middleweight champion at the time raised his value. Pereira already had two wins against Adesanya in kickboxing, which become a great opportunity. The UFC quickly decided to offer Pereira a title shot, later turning out to be a great move, despite losing the rematch.
Artem Vakhitov
An identical outcome was seen last year, when Russian fighter Artem Vakhitov appeared on Dana White's Contender Series, seeking to secure a contract with the UFC. Vakhitov, who claims to have beaten Pereira twice in kickboxing, believes he deserved to win in the first match as well, although those matches ended 1-1. Vakhitov, after knocking out Islem Masraf, won a contract opportunity with the UFC, but never signed.
An official announcement yesterday confirmed that Vakhitov would be returning to Glory and would fight for the heavyweight title against Ric Verhoeven. Artem explained that they were unable to reach an agreement with the UFC due to the standard contracts they offer to fighters after DWCS, which was not acceptable given his reputation.
"The UFC offers entry-level contracts, and I have a family to support," Vakhitov said.
"Glory's offer was better paid and with more potential for my development."
He stressed that the UFC's financial offer was not enough, and Glory offered better terms.
It will be interesting to see the future of this great fighter, who has huge ambitions when it comes to performances in this company. Aware that he will have fierce competition in front of him, this fighter will not give up his goals lightly, ready to convince the world of his qualities.
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