Former GLORY champion Artem Vakhitov is now not planning to combat for the UFC.
The Russian born striker earned a contract with the promotion after profitable on Dana White’s Contender Sequence this previous October. That arrange an ideal storyline with former UFC gentle heavyweight champion Alex Pereira, who Vakhitov defeated in his remaining kickboxing bout earlier than the Brazilian in the end determined to transition to MMA.
General, the fighters break up two back-to-back bouts in GLORY however any unfinished enterprise between them received’t get settled after Vakhitov and his administration group handed on the provide to signal with the UFC. He now as a substitute turns his consideration to a showdown in opposition to GLORY heavyweight kickboxing champion Rico Verhoeven in June.
“Clearly I used to be delighted to win my combat on DWCS and get supplied a contract,” Vakhitov instructed MMA Preventing. “It was cool that Alex was there, additionally. It felt just like the trilogy combat was very shut, only a win or two away. Sadly, when it got here time to finalize the UFC contract, it turned clear that the UFC has strict insurance policies for fighters coming by means of DWCS.
“Underneath their protocols, they have been solely capable of provide me the usual contract given to all DWCS signings. My group tried to barter, however the UFC’s guidelines left no room for changes. I need to be clear that I don’t take difficulty with their method—I respect their construction. However I’m a prizefighter, and I’ve a household to help. I’ve a restricted window to profit from my profession.”
At 33, Vakhitov is among the most completed kickboxers to make the transfer to MMA and his historical past with Pereira was good fodder for dialog after he was supplied a UFC contract.
General, Vakhitov holds a 3-1 document in MMA competitors with all three wins coming by knockout.
Following his win on The Contender Sequence, Vakhitov’s administration group mentioned phrases with the UFC on his contract however the two sides have been simply not capable of come to an settlement.
“Artem Vakhitov and Alex Pereira had one of many closest rivalries in GLORY, and when the UFC alternative arose, they each had equivalent 3-1 information in MMA,” Vakhitov’s supervisor Andrey Busygin instructed MMA Preventing. “On condition that, we felt it was cheap to request that Artem obtain the identical form of deal Alex acquired when he joined the UFC. Appears solely honest, we thought.
“Nevertheless, the UFC’s coverage is that every one Dana White Contender Sequence fighters obtain the identical contract with mounted phrases. Personally, I discovered this unfair to Artem, contemplating his fight sports activities accomplishments and the truth that he was on par with Alex on the time he entered the UFC. However guidelines are guidelines, and we understood their stance. So, we in the end needed to move on the provide. In fact, it’s disappointing that we received’t get to see Artem and Alex full their trilogy within the Octagon proper now. However there’s no animosity—our negotiations with Hunter [Campbell] and his group have been very skilled and respectful. The doorways should not closed.”
With Vakhitov passing on a UFC contract, he’s now returning to kickboxing with an enormous combat booked in opposition to Verhoeven on the GLORY 100 card set for June 14 within the Netherlands.
“This can be a combat I’ve wished for a very long time,” Vakhitov mentioned in regards to the matchup in opposition to Verhoeven. “I’ve been calling for it since 2017. For years, no person wished to combat Rico—he’s known as ‘The King’ for a cause, he’s dominated this division for therefore lengthy.
“However I’ve at all times believed I’m the most effective pound-for-pound kickboxer in GLORY, and that perception hasn’t modified. And now finally the king is lastly able to face the Tsar.”
Busygin says that GLORY actually stepped up with a profitable provide for Vakhitov to return to kickboxing for the combat in opposition to Verhoeven and it simply made essentially the most sense to go there as a substitute for now.
“Our consideration now turns to an enormous combat in June the place Artem will face the GLORY Kickboxing World Heavyweight Championship holder Rico Verhoeven,” Busygin mentioned. “GLORY made a extremely huge cash provide for this combat and Artem is delighted as a result of he’s wished this combat since 2017 and now it’s lastly taking place. So the trilogy must wait some time it appears.”
Vakhitov isn’t shutting the door on probably returning to make his UFC debut sooner or later sooner or later and he holds no in poor health will in the direction of the promotion for the way in which issues performed out.
“Becoming a member of the UFC would have been an unbelievable alternative, however the monetary phrases didn’t make sense for me on the face of different affords which have been additionally coming in,” Vakhitov mentioned. “So, we needed to politely decline.
“That mentioned, our discussions have been respectful, and who is aware of what the long run could convey?”
