vs
-155 +150
UFC Fight Night: Smith vs. Spann · Sep 18, 2021 · Light Heavyweight · Completed
Prev Fight UFC Fight Night: Smith vs. Spann Next Fight
Age 32
Height 6' 1"
Reach 75"
Weight 205 lbs.
Stance Southpaw
Age 36
Height 6' 0"
Reach 75.0"
Weight 205 lbs.
Stance Orthodox
Career Averages - Ion Cuțelaba
4.23 SLpM
43.0% Str. Acc.
3.28 SApM
47.0% Str. Def.
3.76 TD Avg
49.0% TD Acc.
75.0% TD Def.
0.2 Sub. Avg
Career Averages - Devin Clark
3.03 SLpM
54.0% Str. Acc.
3.24 SApM
44.0% Str. Def.
2.17 TD Avg
32.0% TD Acc.
58.0% TD Def.
0.1 Sub. Avg
Ion Cuțelaba
Moneyline
BetMGM -155
KO/TKO
BetMGM +120
Submission
FanDuel +2600
Decision
FanDuel +700
Devin Clark
Moneyline
Caesars +150
KO/TKO
DraftKings +650
Submission
DraftKings +1400
Decision
FanDuel +260
Ion Cuțelaba - Fight History
SCHED vs Navajo Stirling
WIN vs Oumar Sy
Submission R1 4:24 · UFC Fight Night: Emmett vs. Vallejos · Mar 14, 2026
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Ion Cuțelaba 0 14 of 20 70% 40 of 49 1 of 2 50% 1 0 2:27
Oumar Sy 0 5 of 11 45% 5 of 11 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:18
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Ion Cuțelaba 0 14 of 20 70% 40 of 49 1 of 2 50% 1 0 2:27
Oumar Sy 0 5 of 11 45% 5 of 11 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:18
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Ion Cuțelaba 14 of 20 70% 4 of 9 4 of 5 6 of 6 10 of 15 1 of 1 3 of 4
Oumar Sy 5 of 11 45% 1 of 7 0 of 0 4 of 4 5 of 11 0 of 0 0 of 0
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Ion Cuțelaba 14 of 20 70% 4 of 9 4 of 5 6 of 6 10 of 15 1 of 1 3 of 4
Oumar Sy 5 of 11 45% 1 of 7 0 of 0 4 of 4 5 of 11 0 of 0 0 of 0
Play-by-Play
View on Sherdog
Ion Cutelaba vs. Oumar Sy
BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Sy (-200); Cutelaba (+170)

Round 1
Herb Dean is the referee. Cutelaba opens with an inside leg kick followed by a body kick. Sy with a leg kick of his own. Cutelaba is utilizing a variety of kicks early. Sy jabs then throws a leg kick. A right lands for Cutelaba. They collide in the clinch and Cutelaba drives his man into the fence. A knee lands for Cutelaba. Sy reverses the position, but Cutelaba trips him down and lands in half guard. Sy scoots toward the fence and reverses into a takedown attempt against the cage. Sy lifts and slams Cutelaba, who assumes top position in a scramble. Cutelaba is in half guard, looking to advance. Cutelaba hovers and drops a right. Sy eats more standing to ground shots as Sy threatens with a heel hook. Cutelaba isn’t too woried about the submission possibility, but Sy falls back, forcing his foe to defend the manuever.. Cutelaba frees his leg and dives back into top position. Now Sy is pushing forward for a takedown, but he finds himself quickly ensnared in a guillotine.
Cutelaba rolls into full mount, forcing Sy to tap almost instantly.
Cutelaba has won three of his last four UFC appearances.

The Official Result
Ion Cutelaba def. Oumar Sy via Submission (Guillotine Choke) R1 4:24
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert Hesitant picked Mar 8, 2026 (6 days before fight)
Oumar Sy

Angelo picks Oumar Sy but is nervous. He acknowledges Sy's athleticism and dangerous grappling, but worries about his tendency to not pull the trigger, as seen in the Alonzo Menifield fight. He thinks Sy should win if he wrestles early, but if he waits too long or stands and bangs, it could be a problem.

"Umar is going to be the pick. The guy's good and if he just starts doing more faster he could be a genuine star."
BI
Big Brady Expert Confident picked Mar 9, 2026 (5 days before fight)
Oumar Sy

Big Brady picks Oumar Sy to win by second-round submission. He identifies three problems with Cutelaba: bad cardio, poor fight IQ, and weak jiu-jitsu off his back. He believes Sy should take the fight to the mat and exploit the grappling gap, especially as Cutelaba slows down.

"give me Omar Sy to win this fight. I'll take him to win this fight by second round submission."
CO
Cody Saftic Expert Hesitant picked Mar 11, 2026 (3 days before fight)
Oumar Sy

Cody picks Sy but is hesitant. He notes Sy's size, reach, and wrestling advantage, but acknowledges Cuțelaba's experience and durability. He thinks Sy can get takedowns and grind out a win, but the price is not great. He expects a split decision.

split decision +550
"I'm gonna take him, but he's low down the list this week."
CO
Connor Ruebusch Expert Confident picked Mar 12, 2026 (2 days before fight)
Oumar Sy

Connor picks Sy, agreeing that Cuțelaba needs an opponent who implodes to win, and Sy is not that. He notes Cuțelaba's wins are over fighters who implode, and Sy has enough survival instinct.

Odds: Sy opened at -200, currently -240; Cuțelaba opened at +170, currently +205.
"I'm going to pick him as well."
LU
Lucrative James Expert Confident picked Mar 8, 2026 (6 days before fight)
Oumar Sy

James picks Oumar Sy to win by finish, likely via ground and pound. He notes that Cuțelaba will expend all his energy in round one and gas out, while Sy's size, athleticism, and physicality will allow him to take over. He expects Sy to get on top and finish a tired Cuțelaba in the second round.

"I am predicting Umar S to go out there and get another finish in this fight."
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Confident picked Mar 10, 2026 (4 days before fight)
Oumar Sy

The host picks Sy to win by submission, expecting his grappling to dominate. He notes Sy's size and reach advantage, and believes he will take Cuțelaba down and find a finish. He highlights Cuțelaba's cardio issues and tendency to lose to grapplers, making Sy a strong pick.

Sy by submission within two rounds
"I'm fully expecting C to dominate this matchup and I expect it to come... by submission."
PA
Paul Shaughnessy Expert Lean picked Mar 11, 2026 (3 days before fight)
Ion Cuțelaba

Paul is tempted by Cuțelaba as a dog, noting his striking and takedown defense. He thinks Cuțelaba can give Sy problems, but ultimately passes due to inconsistency. He mentions Sy's size and wrestling could be too much.

"I'm tempted to take a dog shot here."
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked Mar 14, 2026 (fight day)
Oumar Sy

The Guru picks Oumar Sy, comparing him to Ciryl Gane and noting his grappling awareness and striking defense. He thinks Cuțelaba will struggle if he can't get early takedowns, and that Sy will find a finish in the late second or third round as Cuțelaba gets wild.

Prediction: finish in late second or third round
"I think Umar Sy is going to find the finish in the late second or third round."
ZA
Zane Simon Expert Confident picked Mar 12, 2026 (2 days before fight)
Oumar Sy

Zane picks Sy, noting that Cuțelaba is prone to imploding and even when he doesn't, he makes mistakes that allow Sy to take him down and ride him. Sy showed determination in his loss to Menefield.

Odds: Sy opened at -200, currently -240; Cuțelaba opened at +170, currently +205.
"I still have to pick C here. There's clearly enough survival instinct."
Decision R3 5:00 · UFC 315: Muhammad vs. Della Maddalena · May 10, 2025
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Modestas Bukauskas 0 44 of 92 47% 52 of 100 0 of 0 --- 0 0 1:26
Ion Cuțelaba 0 58 of 130 44% 121 of 194 0 of 4 0% 0 0 2:21
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Modestas Bukauskas 0 12 of 34 35% 12 of 34 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Ion Cuțelaba 0 17 of 46 36% 17 of 46 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
2 Modestas Bukauskas 0 16 of 32 50% 18 of 34 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:24
Ion Cuțelaba 0 25 of 49 51% 50 of 74 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:58
3 Modestas Bukauskas 0 16 of 26 61% 22 of 32 0 of 0 --- 0 0 1:02
Ion Cuțelaba 0 16 of 35 45% 54 of 74 0 of 3 0% 0 0 1:23
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Modestas Bukauskas 44 of 92 47% 37 of 85 3 of 3 4 of 4 42 of 90 2 of 2 0 of 0
Ion Cuțelaba 58 of 130 44% 18 of 74 16 of 19 24 of 37 47 of 117 11 of 13 0 of 0
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Modestas Bukauskas 12 of 34 35% 7 of 29 1 of 1 4 of 4 12 of 34 0 of 0 0 of 0
Ion Cuțelaba 17 of 46 36% 4 of 26 3 of 4 10 of 16 17 of 46 0 of 0 0 of 0
2 Modestas Bukauskas 16 of 32 50% 15 of 31 1 of 1 0 of 0 15 of 31 1 of 1 0 of 0
Ion Cuțelaba 25 of 49 51% 11 of 30 5 of 6 9 of 13 20 of 42 5 of 7 0 of 0
3 Modestas Bukauskas 16 of 26 61% 15 of 25 1 of 1 0 of 0 15 of 25 1 of 1 0 of 0
Ion Cuțelaba 16 of 35 45% 3 of 18 8 of 9 5 of 8 10 of 29 6 of 6 0 of 0
Play-by-Play
View on Sherdog
Modestas Bukauskas vs. Ion Cutelaba
BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Bukauskas (-112), Cutelaba (-108)

Round 1
Keeping to the light heavyweight division, there is a very realistic scenario that both men will hold .500 records in the Octagon if one man prevails. Bukauskas (17-6, 5-4 UFC) has done his absolute best to make up for an early rough stretch, while “The Hulk” Cutelaba (19-10-1, 1 NC; 8-9-1 UFC) is aiming to smash his way back to that midpoint range. Both men vastly prefer the knockout, but they have also sustained multiple stoppage losses of that type in the past as well. Referee Dan Miragliotta dons his proverbial hard hat as the 31-year-olds do not bother to touch gloves. Bukauskas leads off with a long, leaping jab. Cutelaba kicks him back in the front leg, doing so one more time when Bukauskas changes stances. Cutelaba keeps at it until Bukauskas fires one back at him, and it does not slow him for long. Cutelaba turns his hips into an especially heavy calf kick, and he leans back as a one-two comes up just short of his face. Bukauskas is unable to reach his foe with punches, while Cutelaba kicks him at will. Bukauskas steps in and catches Cutelaba with a left hand, and he follows with a right that “The Hulk” takes on the chin without batting an eye. Cutelaba fires back with an overhand right, and he offers a body kick and spins with a wheel kick that both bounce off the guard. Cutelaba catches Bukauskas at the end of a calf kick, and he parries a body kick and blocks a subsequent head kick. Bukauskas snaps out a jab, and he sways to avoid the worst of an overhand right. Cutelaba does not falter kicking the front leg time and time again, and they clash together with hooks that partially land. Cutelaba has a massive uppercut and right hand knock out the air around the Lithuanian, and he plants his legs and pounds on Bukauskas’ from leg. Bukauskas gets off a two-punch combo and rushes back knowing “The Hulk” is coming after him. Bukauskas chains together two one-twos that catch the Moldovan on the chin, and once more, he no-sells them and walks forward. They both miss with spinning back kicks to the body, and Cutelaba tries to corner Bukauskas with a low kick and times a left hand when Bukauskas advances. Cutelaba plants his heel on Bukauskas’ side with a spin kick, and Bukauskas tries to do something similar but cannot score it. The round ends.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Cutelaba
Dayne Fox scores the round: 10-9 Cutelaba
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Cutelaba

Round 2
The second round opens up with Cutelaba pressing forward, landing a few punches and mixing in kicks. The Moldovan follows the success with another blitz, backing his opponent up and drilling Bukauskas with a right hand. They crash together, and Cutelaba spins with an elbow that bangs into Bukauskas’ jaw. It is Cutelaba who goes flying after the blow lands, because he spun himself off-balance, and he recovers quickly. Cutelaba considers a level change, and he runs into a stone wall that he pushes against the fence. Cutelaba grinds his man against the fencing, offering a knee or two but otherwise stalling out. They jockey for position when in the clinch, and Miragliotta separates them. Cutelaba spins with a wheel kick out of nowhere, and both men trip and nearly go down without the strike connecting. They get back to their feet, and Cutelaba chases his man with an overhand right. When he pitches a naked leg kick, Bukauskas counters with two punches. Cutelaba sits down on a hard right hand, and Bukauskas has to blink it out but is otherwise unconcerned. Cutelaba keeps his guard up, and he rushes forward and lands a couple punches and a kick at the end. Cutelaba offers a leg kick and ducks down to fire off a right hand when he sees Bukauskas coming forward, and he throws a wheel kick so hard that he falls over when it is way out of range. Cutelaba stands, and he initiates a brawl. Bukauskas catches him and nearly gets blasted, having to circle around to regain his footing. One final brawl ensues, with Bukauskas getting the better of the final exchange before the bell.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Cutelaba
Dayne Fox scores the round: 10-9 Cutelaba
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Cutelaba

Round 3
Cutelaba is energized to start off the final frame, pushing forward immediately but not able to catch Bukauskas standing still. He settles for a few chopping calf kicks, and he shoots in for a double from afar that Bukauskas is able to defend thanks to the wall behind him. The clinch position stalls the two 205ers out, who trade occasional knees but do little more to satisfy Miragliotta. They are separated, and Cutelaba is the aggressor again. Clipping Bukauskas with a left hand, Cutelaba keeps marching forward and lashes out with a low kick that scores, and a spinning back kick that bangs into his foe’s midsection. Cutelaba stomps out with a kick to the front knee, and Bukauskas is tired of waiting and lays into “The Hulk” with a massive right hand. Cutelaba does not so much as flinch, and eats another huge punch that he once more shrugs off. Cutelaba follows his foe around the cage, and he skims a spin kick off the body and reaches at the end of a right hand. Bukauskas goes high with a kick that is blocked, and he stings Cutelaba with a check hook and forces the Moldovan to shoot in on his hips. Bukauskas stops the takedown but is otherwise pushed to the wire, where they spin one another around. They give one another knees to the guts, and Cutelaba goes for a trip that is unable to get his man down. Bukauskas pushes off and lets his hands go, only for Cutelaba to tie him back up. Miragliotta calls for action as Bukauskas leans on his opponent, and he breaks and spins with an elbow. Cutelaba busts him in the chops with a right hand, and swings for the bleachers with a few more. The final strike of the fight is a spinning kick from the Lithuanian to the midsection, and a slightly bloodied Cutelaba raises his hands to signal he thinks he won the fight. Time expires.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Bukauskas (29-28 Cutelaba)
Dayne Fox scores the round: 10-9 Bukauskas (29-28 Cutelaba)
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Bukauskas (29-28 Cutelaba)

The Official Result
Modestas Bukauskas def. Ion Cutelaba via Split Decision (27-30, 30-27, 29-28)
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert Lean picked May 4, 2025 (6 days before fight)
Modestas Bukauskas

Angelo picks Modestas Bukauskas as the more technically sound and well-rounded fighter, but acknowledges Ion Cuțelaba is unpredictable and dangerous. He notes Cuțelaba has power and offensive takedowns but no takedown defense. Angelo mentions a potential bet on Cuțelaba inside the distance with decision no action, but his pick is Bukauskas. He emphasizes that picks are not bets and he wouldn't bet on Bukauskas.

Considering bet on Cuțelaba inside the distance decision no action
"I am actually gonna go the Modest side here because I think he's the more technically sound and well-rounded of the two, but we all know that Coutalaba is Coutalaba."
BI
Big Brady Expert Confident picked May 6, 2025 (4 days before fight)
Ion Cuțelaba

Big Brady thinks Cuțelaba has multiple paths to victory: he hits harder, is more durable, and can mix in wrestling. He notes Bukauskas is chinny, hittable, and has poor takedown defense. He believes Cuțelaba's losses have come against high-level or dangerous opponents, while Bukauskas is neither. He predicts Cuțelaba wins by decision, landing bigger shots and mixing in wrestling.

"I like Kudalaba here. ... I'm actually going to take him to win this fight uh by decision."
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Confident picked May 7, 2025 (3 days before fight)
Modestas Bukauskas

The host believes Bukauskas is in the best form of his career and will thwart Cuțelaba's power striking and grappling. He expects Bukauskas to use his cardio, technical striking, and improved grappling to win on the scorecards.

"I do think Bukowskis is in the best form in his career as of late and I think that'll showcase once again here."
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked May 6, 2025 (4 days before fight)
Ion Cuțelaba

The MMA Guru picks Cuțelaba as a slight underdog, citing Bukauskas' knee injury and susceptibility to pressure. He thinks Cuțelaba's wrestling and early aggression will exploit Bukauskas' compromised leg, leading to a finish in the first or second round by TKO or submission.

TKO or submission in the first or early second round
"I'm going to go with Coutalaba getting this one done by TKO or submission in the first or early second round."
WIN vs Ibo Aslan
Submission R1 2:51 · UFC Fight Night: Cejudo vs. Song · Feb 22, 2025
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Ion Cuțelaba 0 14 of 31 45% 17 of 39 2 of 4 50% 1 0 1:06
Ibo Aslan 0 15 of 30 50% 15 of 30 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Ion Cuțelaba 0 14 of 31 45% 17 of 39 2 of 4 50% 1 0 1:06
Ibo Aslan 0 15 of 30 50% 15 of 30 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Ion Cuțelaba 14 of 31 45% 10 of 26 2 of 3 2 of 2 10 of 26 1 of 2 3 of 3
Ibo Aslan 15 of 30 50% 14 of 28 0 of 1 1 of 1 12 of 27 3 of 3 0 of 0
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Ion Cuțelaba 14 of 31 45% 10 of 26 2 of 3 2 of 2 10 of 26 1 of 2 3 of 3
Ibo Aslan 15 of 30 50% 14 of 28 0 of 1 1 of 1 12 of 27 3 of 3 0 of 0
Play-by-Play
View on Sherdog
Ibo Aslan vs. Ion Cutelaba

Round 1
If this prelim headliner does not end violently, it will be quite the surprise. “The Hulk” Cutelaba (18-10-1, 1 NC; 7-9-1 UFC) has claimed 13 of his 18 wins via strikes, while Aslan (14-1, 2-0 UFC) presents a 100% knockout rate. Referee Kevin MacDonald keeps his head on a swivel for the mayhem that is about to ensue. Nothing more needs to be said other than buckle up, buckaroos. Cutelaba is so intense, security has to keep him from putting his hands on Aslan before the opening bell rings. The power-punching 205ers do not touch gloves. Aslan walks Cutelaba down with his right hand chambered, and he pitches a front kick instead. Cutelaba responds in kind, and he wings an overhand right that buzzes the beard of his foe. Aslan slings back with fire, and the two turn their hips into mighty low kick that crash together. A furious brawl suddenly erupts out of nowhere, with both men bashing each other in the face with ridiculously arced punches. When Cutelaba gets clipped, he shoots for a takedown, and it is rebuffed. Aslan tags him a few more times, and a second takedown effort from the Moldovan succeeds to get his wits back about him. Aslan climbs back to his feet, and he ducks to dodge a spinning back fist from “The Hulk,” who is bleeding already. Aslan tees off with strikes, and Cutelaba steels himself and releases a bomb of a right hand that sends Aslan staggering back. With his balance barely beneath him, Aslan stumbles away and gets taken to the floor by a beautiful double. Cutelaba sits up and smashes Aslan with a number of right hands, forces Aslan to turn over and jumps into dominant position.
Rather than keep smashing, “The Hulk” in mount steps to the side to wrap up an unexpected arm-triangle choke. Aslan hangs on tough as MacDonald checks on him, and he signals he is ok and shows resistance on his arm. As the submission is not wavering, Aslan is about to go out, and he taps out.
Cutelaba stands up and roars repeatedly. In his post-fight interview, the Moldovan declares, “Who now is power,” and that he is a “f---ing crazy guy.” With that, the prelims are violently completed, but who expected the hard-swinging Cutelaba to wrap up a submission?

The Official Result
Ion Cutelaba def. Ibo Aslan R1 2:51 via Submission (Arm-Triangle Choke)
BI
Big Brady Expert Confident picked Feb 17, 2025 (5 days before fight)
Ibo Aslan

Big Brady picks Ibo Aslan (Eduard Oslan) despite wanting to back Ion Cuțelaba. He notes Cuțelaba is untrustworthy with poor cardio, often gassing after three minutes of wrestling. He believes Aslan has good takedown defense from training at Extreme Couture and Tiger Muay Thai, carries power late, and will stuff takedowns, causing Cuțelaba to slow down. He predicts a second-round knockout.

by second round knockout
"I'm going to go with oslon here by knockout I would be surprised if this fight went 15"
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Confident picked Feb 20, 2025 (2 days before fight)
Ion Cuțelaba

The host is intrigued by Cuțelaba as an underdog, noting the fight could be a car crash or a grind. He thinks if Cuțelaba avoids getting knocked out early, he can match Aslan's aggression and power and finish him within the first two rounds.

"if you can avoid getting bonked early in this fight as aan normally puts his opponents away in the first round I think galaba can meet him with that aggression and power and overcome that and finish EO Assam within …"
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked Feb 21, 2025 (1 day before fight)
Ibo Aslan

Despite a bias toward Cuțelaba, the Guru picks Aslan, citing Cuțelaba's rough recent wins and low success rate. He notes Aslan is 2-0 in the UFC with finishes, has momentum, and has fought tricky grapplers. He expects Aslan to TKO Cuțelaba in the first or second round, though he mentions Aslan's 'gynoed up' physique as a potential concern.

TKO first or second round
"I'm going IO asan you know if a Felipe Lind can do it I think an IBO Aslan can"
WIN vs Ivan Erslan
Decision (split) (28–29, 29–28, 29–28) R3 5:00 · UFC Fight Night: Moicano vs. Saint Denis · Sep 28, 2024
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Ion Cuțelaba 0 45 of 120 37% 80 of 161 3 of 12 25% 0 0 1:59
Ivan Erslan 0 39 of 69 56% 63 of 101 1 of 2 50% 0 1 5:19
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Ion Cuțelaba 0 18 of 72 25% 22 of 77 0 of 3 0% 0 0 0:25
Ivan Erslan 0 24 of 39 61% 25 of 40 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
2 Ion Cuțelaba 0 24 of 43 55% 44 of 66 2 of 5 40% 0 0 1:07
Ivan Erslan 0 14 of 27 51% 17 of 31 0 of 1 0% 0 1 1:26
3 Ion Cuțelaba 0 3 of 5 60% 14 of 18 1 of 4 25% 0 0 0:27
Ivan Erslan 0 1 of 3 33% 21 of 30 1 of 1 100% 0 0 3:53
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Ion Cuțelaba 45 of 120 37% 24 of 93 9 of 14 12 of 13 38 of 112 6 of 7 1 of 1
Ivan Erslan 39 of 69 56% 29 of 59 7 of 7 3 of 3 33 of 61 5 of 6 1 of 2
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Ion Cuțelaba 18 of 72 25% 9 of 57 5 of 10 4 of 5 14 of 68 4 of 4 0 of 0
Ivan Erslan 24 of 39 61% 21 of 36 2 of 2 1 of 1 21 of 35 3 of 4 0 of 0
2 Ion Cuțelaba 24 of 43 55% 13 of 32 4 of 4 7 of 7 21 of 39 2 of 3 1 of 1
Ivan Erslan 14 of 27 51% 7 of 20 5 of 5 2 of 2 12 of 25 2 of 2 0 of 0
3 Ion Cuțelaba 3 of 5 60% 2 of 4 0 of 0 1 of 1 3 of 5 0 of 0 0 of 0
Ivan Erslan 1 of 3 33% 1 of 3 0 of 0 0 of 0 0 of 1 0 of 0 1 of 2
Play-by-Play
View on Sherdog
Ion Cutelaba vs. Ivan Erslan

Round 1
With four losses in his last five outings, “The Hulk” Cutelaba (17-10-1, 1 NC; 6-9-1, 1 NC UFC) has not been smashing much lately. Luckily for him, the UFC has given him a willing dance partner in KSW vet Erslan (14-3, 1 NC; 0-0 UFC), who has seen 10 of his last 11 appearances end inside the distance, win or lose. Before they go ballistic, the two hulking 205ers meet in the middle to share an incredibly intense face-to-face staredown as referee Herb Dean watches closely. There is no glove touch to be shared, as Cutelaba is energized and wants to inflict punishment of some sort. Cutelaba sweeps the leg early, and Erslan does not budge. Cutelaba splits the guard with a front kick, and Erslan sits down on a left hand counter. Cutelaba has a kick checked, and he lets go with two punches that bounce off the guard. Cutelaba lunges and whiffs with a right hand, but his front kicks to get through. Cutelaba overswings, and Erslan ducks under and pushes him to the wall. Cutelaba spins around and smashes Erslan in the face, and Erslan staggers away, regains his footing and shakes his head to signal he is fine. Cutelaba comes up short on a big head kick, and Erslan bets him to the punch with two counters. Cutelaba walks Erslan down and draws him into a brief slugfest, but Erslan is wise to it and does not want to get blasted. Erslan sneaks in an uppercut while Cutelaba blitzes, and he absorbs a low kick and a left hand before stopping a takedown shot. Cutelaba steps in with a body kick, and he whizzes past his target with a spinning back kick. Cutelaba bites down on his mouthpiece to throw hammers, but the head movement of the newcomer keeps him safe. Erslan keeps his guard up high, but the sheer horsepower of Cutelaba’s three punches knock Erslan across the cage and down to his seat. Cutelaba leisurely walks him down rather than sprinting, and instead lets Erslan stand so he can go after a single. Erslan stands, ignores a right hand to his temple and puts his back to the wall. Erslan gains a bit of space thanks to an elbow on the inside, and they reset. Erslan lashes out with a calf kick, and when he throws a second, Cutelaba is on him with a winging right hand. Cutelaba’s big right hooks come up short, and he gets stuck with a right straight. Erslan walks through a power punch to sling leather, and he gets his bell rung once more in a furious exchange. Cutelaba spins with a back fist that goes well wide, and the round ends.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Cutelaba
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Cutelaba
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Cutelaba

Round 2
The light heavyweights lumber towards one another to start off the stanza, and they both measure one another with front kicks from afar. Cutelaba advances rapidly, and Erslan escapes out the side before getting struck. Erslan rolls with a punch, but Cutelaba is on him with three more and a takedown shot. Erslan shoves the Moldovan away, and Cutelaba takes a moment before lashing out with a low kick and a right hand. Cutelaba gets caught with a right hand and wobbles back, but then flashes a huge grin as he was playing possum and hoped to draw Erslan in. When Erslan does not engage, Cutelaba spins with a back kick that slams into his liver. Cutelaba jabs and swings hard behind it, and he clips the Polish fighter with a powerful left hook. Erslan does not like what he is getting, and he shoots in for a single but finds himself facing a wall in “The Hulk.” Cutelaba gives Erslan a taste of his own medicine, grabbing a single and kicking Erslan’s other leg out to put him down dramatically on the canvas. Cutelaba jumps around to take his back, wrapping a body triangle around his waist and hitting him with punches around the side of the head. Cutelaba briefly latches onto a rear-naked choke, and the newcomer fights out of it, breaks the body triangle and muscles back to his feet. Erslan tries to wrangle Cutelaba down to the floor, and when they hit 50/50 position, Cutelaba turns the tables and tosses Erslan effortlessly to the mat. Cutelaba climbs into full mount, and he takes Erslan’s back and slides off of it. Falling to his back, Cutelaba briefly considers a triangle choke, but Erslan keeps himself flat on top of his adversary to ride out the round.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Cutelaba
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Cutelaba
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Cutelaba

Round 3
The heavy hitters have reached the third round—as many of the fights tonight have done so far—and it starts off gingerly as neither man wants to overcommit. Erslan walks the favorite down, and he swings for the fences with a monster right hand. Cutelaba counters him brilliantly with a right hand, only for Erslan to duck under a second blow and hit an easy takedown. Erslan gets dragged into the guard when assuming top position, but he finds himself struggling to mount any offense. Cutelaba either holds on tightly or pushes off Erslan enough to get space so that Erslan cannot reach him. When not pushed by Cutelaba’s legs, Erslan utilizes tight chest pressure, smothering rather than attacking. Erslan stands up and drills “The Hulk” with a huge right hand, and it is one-and-done when Cutelaba kicks him off. Erslan lowers himself back to top control, and Cutelaba is flat on his back not entirely sure which way to lean. Cutelaba briefly considers a kimura, and Erslan sees it coming a mile away and wrenches his arm out. Cutelaba looks for an omoplata shoulder lock, which he uses to get enough leverage to work his way to his feet. Erslan controls Cutelaba from behind, dragging the Moldovan to his seat against the fencing to further nullify him. Erslan is warned for hooking his fingers inside of Cutelaba’s gloves, and Erslan lets go and starts slugging Cutelaba in the chops. Cutelaba stands up, and Erslan tries to muscle him back down. Cutelaba turns him around and imposes his weight to attempt to wrench Erslan to the mat, dropping low for a double and tossing the newcomer to the floor. Time runs out, and these two have surprisingly left it in the hands of the judges.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Erslan (29-28 Cutelaba)
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Erslan (29-28 Cutelaba)
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Erslan (29-28 Cutelaba)

The Official Result
Ion Cutelaba def. Ivan Erslan via Split Decision (28-29, 29-28, 29-28)
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert Lean picked Sep 22, 2024 (6 days before fight)
Ivan Erslan

Angelo picks Ivan Erslan but does not bet on him. He notes that Cuțelaba is feast or famine and can be knocked out, but Erslan has holes in his grappling defense. If Cuțelaba wrestles early, he can win, but if he stands, he'll likely get knocked out. Angelo is not betting on a UFC newcomer with grappling issues.

maybe under 1.5 rounds when line drops
"I am going to pick Ivan Erslan... I'm not going to bet on him... picks and bets are very different things."
BI
Big Brady Expert Lean picked Sep 27, 2024 (1 day before fight)
Ivan Erslan

Big Brady picks Ivan Erslan by first-round knockout, citing Cuțelaba's tendency to find ways to lose and his poor cardio. He notes Erslan has power and good takedown defense, and if he stuffs takedowns, he could knock out Cuțelaba early. He expects the fight to end in the first round.

Erslan by first round knockout
"give me erson here uh I'll take erson to win by first round knockout he has 10 Knockouts all of them do come in the first round so I'm thinking it might be him landing something early I think this …"
CO
Cody Saftic Expert Hesitant picked Sep 24, 2024 (4 days before fight)
Ivan Erslan

Cody picks Erslan as a slight underdog, noting Cuțelaba's inconsistency and poor fight IQ. He believes Erslan has better striking and takedown defense, and can keep the fight standing. However, he acknowledges Cuțelaba's power and explosiveness make this a 50/50 fight, and he's not confident.

"I'll take uron but like don't be surprised to see this thing right near the bottom"
CO
Connor Ruebusch Expert Confident picked Sep 27, 2024 (1 day before fight)
Ivan Erslan

Connor agrees with Zane, emphasizing that Cuțelaba is a 'five-tool loser' who has lost every way possible. He notes that Erslan is a back-foot counter striker who may struggle if Cuțelaba doesn't come forward, but ultimately Cuțelaba's tendency to lose makes Erslan the pick.

"This fight, Kudalaba just find so many ways to lose."
DA
Daniel Vreeland Expert Confident picked Sep 24, 2024 (4 days before fight)
Ivan Erslan

Daniel Vreeland picks Ivan Erslan to win. He thinks Erslan is a technical striker with good power, speed, and durability, and that he can recover from being dropped. He believes Cuțelaba will gas out or make mistakes, and Erslan will catch him. He notes Erslan's takedown defense looks solid and that Cuțelaba is not at a good camp.

"I think ursan should be the favorite even though you know trying uh level competition on the Caba side"
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Confident picked Sep 25, 2024 (3 days before fight)
Ivan Erslan

JP picks Ivan Erslan because he doesn't trust Ion Cuțelaba, who is inconsistent and has low fight IQ. He notes Cuțelaba lost to Ryan Spann and Johnny Walker, whom he considers low-IQ fighters. He thinks Erslan has power and is more calculated, and calls it a coin flip but sides with the dog.

"no shot I'm siding with him uran's the dog we're both on urson give me dog money"
PA
Paul Shaughnessy Expert Lean picked Sep 24, 2024 (4 days before fight)
Ivan Erslan

Paul leans towards Erslan, citing Cuțelaba's poor takedown accuracy and tendency to gas. He notes that Erslan has good takedown defense and power, but the fight is volatile. He doesn't plan to bet heavily but takes the slight dog.

"I'll take the ever so slight dog in uh in the newcomer öland here"
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked Sep 24, 2024 (4 days before fight)
Ivan Erslan

The MMA Guru picks Ivan Erslan over Ion Cuțelaba, noting Erslan's well-roundedness and experience against good competition. He believes Cuțelaba's reign over lower-level opponents will end. He predicts a second-round TKO for Erslan.

second round TKO
"I'm going to go of Ivan uran I think he's well-rounded uh I'm going to go with him getting this one done by TKO actually I think he'll catch calaba on the chin at some point and I'm GNA say …"
ZA
Zane Simon Expert Confident picked Sep 27, 2024 (1 day before fight)
Ivan Erslan

Zane thinks Erslan is a capable, big, powerful athlete who fits the UFC light heavyweight baseline. He notes that Cuțelaba finds ways to lose and has a poor record, while Erslan has a whole host of first-round knockouts. Zane believes Erslan will probably beat Cuțelaba, though he has some long-term concerns about Erslan's style.

"I think he's probably going to beat Kudalaba."
LOSS vs Philipe Lins
Decision (unanimous) (29–28, 29–28, 29–28) R3 5:00 · UFC 299: O'Malley vs. Vera 2 · Mar 09, 2024
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Philipe Lins 0 47 of 97 48% 119 of 171 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:16
Ion Cuțelaba 0 67 of 115 58% 73 of 121 2 of 7 28% 0 0 5:34
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Philipe Lins 0 23 of 42 54% 24 of 43 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:01
Ion Cuțelaba 0 33 of 50 66% 34 of 51 0 of 2 0% 0 0 0:22
2 Philipe Lins 0 13 of 20 65% 27 of 35 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:13
Ion Cuțelaba 0 19 of 29 65% 22 of 32 1 of 2 50% 0 0 2:26
3 Philipe Lins 0 11 of 35 31% 68 of 93 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:02
Ion Cuțelaba 0 15 of 36 41% 17 of 38 1 of 3 33% 0 0 2:46
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Philipe Lins 47 of 97 48% 33 of 82 9 of 9 5 of 6 42 of 90 5 of 7 0 of 0
Ion Cuțelaba 67 of 115 58% 37 of 82 7 of 9 23 of 24 57 of 100 5 of 8 5 of 7
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Philipe Lins 23 of 42 54% 14 of 32 5 of 5 4 of 5 22 of 39 1 of 3 0 of 0
Ion Cuțelaba 33 of 50 66% 16 of 31 3 of 4 14 of 15 32 of 47 1 of 3 0 of 0
2 Philipe Lins 13 of 20 65% 8 of 15 4 of 4 1 of 1 11 of 18 2 of 2 0 of 0
Ion Cuțelaba 19 of 29 65% 11 of 21 1 of 1 7 of 7 13 of 21 1 of 1 5 of 7
3 Philipe Lins 11 of 35 31% 11 of 35 0 of 0 0 of 0 9 of 33 2 of 2 0 of 0
Ion Cuțelaba 15 of 36 41% 10 of 30 3 of 4 2 of 2 12 of 32 3 of 4 0 of 0
Play-by-Play
View on Sherdog
Ion Cutelaba vs. Philipe Lins
BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Cutelaba (-135), Lins (+114)

Round 1
At long last, we will finally see the oft-delayed light heavyweight showdown between Cutelaba (17-9-1, 1 NC; 6-8-1 UFC) and Lins (17-5, 3-2 UFC). This fight was initially slated for an October 2023 event, and a fight night medical scratch for Lins delayed it until now. Both men sharing their preferred method of victory of the knockout, referee Mike Beltran may have his hands full until it is all over. The two have to be separated when Cutelaba walks right in front of his opponent during the introductions, and they do not touch gloves when completed. Lins strikes first with a low kick, and Cutelaba answers immediately with the same blow. Lins goes low, and Cutelaba tries to catch it and go over the top with a right hand. Lins slides back in the nick of time, and he connects with a heavy calf kick that Cutelaba does not like. Cutelaba gives him a lighter kick back to the same target, and he intercepts an advancing Lins with a jab. Lins comes out swinging, and he ends a combination with a low kick that gets checked. Cutelaba turns his hips into a leg kick, and Lins throws one back as Cutelaba reaches for it. Lins hops in, lands a straight left, and gets out of harm’s way before the counter lands. Lins lands a hard calf kick, and Cutelaba swings heavy punches him that bounce the Brazilian off the cage. Lins ricochets off and chambers to fire a low kick, and he buckles Cutelaba’s leg for a second. Cutelaba shakes it off and winds up with a right hand, and he blasts Lins in the face and sends him flying to his seat. Lins pops back up, no worse for wear, and he throws a leg kick. Cutelaba checks it and grins, and he reaches out with an overhand right. Cutelaba preemptively lifts his leg ahead of time to prevent a kick from landing, and this allow Lins to pops him with a right hand over the top. Lins then goes low with a heavy leg kick, and he shoots in for a single. Cutelaba hops back to the wall, elbows Lins in the face and drags his leg back down. Lins backpedals and lets go with a head kick, and Cutelaba charges him and busts him in the chops with an elbow. Lins scores a leg kick, draws a wobble, and fires off a one-two that gets Cutelaba’s attention. Cutelaba bites down on his mouthpiece and starts trading heavy leather, cracking “Monstro,” and Lins throws back hard. Cutelaba gets rocked as they keep throwing, and Lins shoots for a takedown that ultimately fails. Cutelaba lashes out with an elbow that cuts the Brazilian on the cheek, and he wades into a brawl and slugs it out with his opponent. Lins backs off, scores a low kick, and the tense round ends.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Cutelaba
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Lins
Devin Tejada scores the round: 10-9 Lins

Round 2
Lins opens up in the second round to throw a low kick at the compromised lead leg of his opponent. Lins motions that he has done some damage to his foe’s leg, and he throws another that takes Cutelaba’s balance away. Cutelaba changes stances and is hurt badly from the kicks, and it is swelled and damaged. Cutelaba blitzes, walking through a low kick so he can throw hands, and he ignores another kick so he can engage in a brawl. Lins shrugs off a back fist and scores another devastating leg kick, and Cutelaba is tough as nails as his calf has swelled up on multiple places. Cutelaba overswings, and Lins ducks and circles around to take his back standing so he can take the fight down. Cutelaba keeps on his feet, and they spin around in the clinch until Lins trips his man up and falls on top of him. Lins lands in half guard, and he smothers his opponent without getting any ground-and-pound off. The crowd rains down boos as Lins holds on from on top, and Cutelaba hangs on to force a standup. Cutelaba pushes off and Lins stands up, and they start talking to one another. Lins lowers himself down, and he leans back before taking an upkick on the chin. Lins leaps down and hammers his man with standing-to-ground punches, and Cutelaba explodes through to get back to his feet and put his back to the fence. Lins attempts another takedown, and Cutelaba shuts it down. Cutelaba squirrels away with 30 seconds left in the round, and he plods forward and shoots in right after absorbing a low kick. Lins shucks it off, and the round ends.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Lins
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Lins
Devin Tejada scores the round: 10-9 Lins

Round 3
The two are so excited to fight, they have to get ushered back to their corners by Beltran before he clocks them in. When they commence, Cutelaba pushes forward, and he checks a low kick and limps forward. Lins winds up with a left hand, and Cutelaba’s aggression makes Lins trip up. Cutelaba swarms forward, and he opens himself up to a takedown by swinging for the bleachers. Lins takes him down, and holds him there for a few seconds. Cutelaba muscles his way up, only to get dragged down with a mat return. Cutelaba attempts a kimura to sweep, but this only allows Lins to turn the corner and take his back. Cutelaba goes for another double wrist lock to force his way back to his feet, and he succeeds with his back to the wall. Lins presses heavily on his man against the cage, and Cutelaba pushes off and swings hard but misses the mark. Lins strafes to the side, trying to get away as he sucks wind. Cutelaba charges at him, ignoring jabs so he can throw bombs. Lins shoots for a single and is stood up, and Cutelaba hacks down with an elbow on the back of the head. Beltran immediately calls time and very sternly warns Cutelaba for the blatant foul. Beltran resets them in the center of the cage rather than putting them back in the clinch where Lins was. Cutelaba thanks him for this by rushing forward to throw hands, and he catches Lins with a right hand but cannot hurt him enough before Lins shoots. Lins knees him in the body, and he hangs on to run the clock out. Lins softens him up with knees from both sides, and he shoots in for a double. Cutelaba sprawls his hips to stop the takedown, and he bops Lins with short right hands until Beltran splits them up at the 40-second mark. Cutelaba plods forward while Lins runs away, and he throws two punches and eats a right hand. Cutelaba screams at Lins, and he wings punches that Lins can avoid. Lins knocks Cutelaba back with a left hook, and he gets bounced off the wall with a counter. The fight ends, and it could be a close one where a 30-27 tally might not illustrate just how evenly matched it was.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Lins (29-28 Lins)
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Lins (30-27 Lins)
Devin Tejada scores the round: 10-9 Lins (30-27 Lins)

The Official Result
Philipe Lins def. Ion Cutelaba via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert Lean picked Mar 3, 2024 (6 days before fight)
Ion Cuțelaba

Angelo rolls the dice on Ion Cuțelaba, noting his dangerous grappling and power, despite his questionable chin. He thinks Cuțelaba can win because Lins hasn't faced good takedown artists. He warns Cuțelaba gets finished often but says his losses are to quality opponents. He won't bet on this fight due to Cuțelaba's chinny nature.

Might sprinkle on over 1.5 rounds if the line is plus money.
"I'm Gonna Roll the Dice on this fight I am going to go with calaba no way do I spend money on this fight he's way too chinny maybe if we get a one and a half round line and …"
BI
Big Brady Expert Hesitant picked Mar 5, 2024 (4 days before fight)
Philipe Lins

Big Brady picks Philipe Lins to win by decision, but is not confident. He calls the fight a 'dog or pass' because he doesn't trust either fighter. He notes that Cuțelaba has only 5 minutes of gas and tends to fade, while Lins has shown he can go 15 minutes. He expects a chaotic fight but thinks Lins can win a greasy decision.

"I'll take Philipe Lind this fight is going to be chaotic like a like all Kuda fights are but I'll take uh Lind here to win this fight and Win It by like a greasy decision"
CO
Cody Saftic Expert Lean picked Mar 6, 2024 (3 days before fight)
Philipe Lins

Cody thinks Cuțelaba is explosive but has terrible cardio and often fades after the first round. He believes Lins is durable and can survive the initial onslaught, then take over as the fight goes on. However, he notes Lins has a history of pulling out of fights, which makes him hard to trust.

"I'll side with Lind in what I think is a very volatile fight"
DA
Daniel Vreeland Expert picked Mar 6, 2024 (3 days before fight)
Ion Cuțelaba

Daniel flips a coin and picks Cuțelaba. He notes Cuțelaba is dangerous early but can gas out, while Lins has been knocked out before but looked good at 205. He has very low confidence and says he could see it going either way.

"Tails so we're gonna go with calaba here I'm gonna switch my pick"
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Confident picked Mar 4, 2024 (5 days before fight)
Philipe Lins

Lins has been on a three-fight winning streak since moving down to light heavyweight, showing good power and the ability to mix in the clinch and wear on opponents. Cuțelaba relies on early knockouts but tends to gas out and become vulnerable if he doesn't get the finish. Lins is more skilled overall and should be able to roll with Cuțelaba's big shots, then grind on him in the clinch and slow him down. I expect Lins to showcase a full MMA arsenal and pick up a decision victory. The plus money is a good value.

Lins by decision
"I think Lind is far more skilled overall which would allow him to go out there and put the pressure on uh kilaba roll with the big shots that Caba tries to land in return and then wear on him …"
PA
Paul Shaughnessy Expert Lean picked Mar 6, 2024 (3 days before fight)
Philipe Lins

Paul agrees that Cuțelaba is a one-round fighter and that Lins can weather the storm. He also notes Lins' durability and ability to go the distance, but he is concerned about Lins' frequent withdrawals from fights.

"I guess the pick will be Lind I just I don't I don't like it in the slightest"
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked Mar 5, 2024 (4 days before fight)
Ion Cuțelaba

The MMA Guru picks Ion Cuțelaba, acknowledging his inconsistency but highlighting his physical freak athleticism and moments of brilliance. He believes Philipe Lins lacks the athleticism and power to punish Cuțelaba's mistakes, and that Cuțelaba will get his own way and finish early. He notes Cuțelaba's losses came against strong, athletic fighters like Nikita Krylov and Johnny Walker, which Lins is not.

early finish
"I'm going to go with calaba getting his own way and getting a finish here early"
WIN vs Tanner Boser
TKO (punches) R1 2:05 · UFC on ESPN: Holloway vs. Allen · Apr 15, 2023
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Ion Cuțelaba 0 5 of 16 31% 5 of 16 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Tanner Boser 0 30 of 40 75% 30 of 40 1 of 1 100% 0 0 0:17
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Ion Cuțelaba 0 5 of 16 31% 5 of 16 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Tanner Boser 0 30 of 40 75% 30 of 40 1 of 1 100% 0 0 0:17
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Ion Cuțelaba 5 of 16 31% 5 of 15 0 of 1 0 of 0 5 of 16 0 of 0 0 of 0
Tanner Boser 30 of 40 75% 27 of 36 2 of 3 1 of 1 14 of 24 0 of 0 16 of 16
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Ion Cuțelaba 5 of 16 31% 5 of 15 0 of 1 0 of 0 5 of 16 0 of 0 0 of 0
Tanner Boser 30 of 40 75% 27 of 36 2 of 3 1 of 1 14 of 24 0 of 0 16 of 16
Play-by-Play
View on Sherdog
Tanner Boser vs. Ion Cutelaba
BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Cutelaba (-130), Boser (+110)

Round 1
While there are no heavyweight matches littering the lineup tonight, this next fight may seem like the closest of any. Two men with their backs against the proverbial wall come to blows, when ex-heavyweight Boser (20-9-1, 4-4 UFC) makes his move down in weight having dropped three of his last four. Cutelaba (16-9-1, 1 NC; 5-8-1 UFC) sports the same unsuccessful record the last couple years, so they are both in dire need of a win. Watching out for any nonsense or an errant blow will be referee Keith Peterson, as this potential mad dash begins with a glove touch. The first 30 seconds go by without a strike, and as soon as the crowd turns on them, they surge into action. Both men throw bombs, and Boser gets knocked back and bounces off the cage. Cutelaba flicks out front kicks as Boser backpedals, and the Canadian sticks out a jab to avoid a huge overhand right.
Cutelaba launches a missile of a right hand that collides square on the jaw of the ex-heavyweight, and Boser is on rubber legs and in big trouble as he falls to his knee up against the wall. With sheer force of will, Cutelaba charges in and angrily hurls Boser down on the mat, where he begins to unload his right fist repeatedly with Boser on his knees. Cutelaba continues pounding on the exposed face of Boser, and Boser tries to stand but is wobbled and his head is getting knocked around like a heavy bag.
“The Hulk” keeps on smashing Boser’s noggin until Peterson calls a stop to the fight, with Boser not defending himself or improving his position. This is a huge win for Cutelaba, who ends a long losing streak to get back in the win column in a big way.

The Official Result
Ion Cutelaba def. Tanner Boser R1 2:05 via TKO (Punches)
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert Confident picked Apr 9, 2023 (6 days before fight)
Tanner Boser

Angelo picks Tanner Boser as an underdog, noting the line has flipped from Boser being a favorite to an underdog. He believes Boser has all the power, chin, and athleticism to win, especially at light heavyweight where he looks in great shape. He notes Cuțelaba has no chin and gets finished in losses. He has a quarter-unit bet on Boser at +105 and may add more.

quarter unit moneyline bet at +105, may add more
"Tanner Bowser is absolutely the pick quarter of a unit on him at plus 105"
BI
Big Brady Expert Confident picked Apr 11, 2023 (4 days before fight)
Ion Cuțelaba

Big Brady picks Ion Cuțelaba to win by first-round TKO via ground and pound. He notes Cuțelaba's excellent first-round wrestling and Boser's terrible takedown defense and ground game. However, he warns that Cuțelaba has only one round of gas, so if it goes past the first, Boser could win. He suggests a live bet on Boser if the fight leaves the first round.

first round TKO, live bet on Boser if past first round
"I think kudalaba does get buzzer out of there but this is going to be a good live bet situation"
CO
Cody Saftic Expert Lean picked Apr 12, 2023 (3 days before fight)
Ion Cuțelaba

Cody is tentative, wanting to see Boser's weigh-in at 205. He thinks Cuțelaba's wrestling should be effective early, but Boser's cardio and size could be factors. He picks Cuțelaba for now but could switch.

"I'll take ion um until until further notice like I could totally switch this pick"
CO
Connor Ruebusch Expert Hesitant picked Apr 13, 2023 (2 days before fight)
Tanner Boser

Connor also picks Boser but with hesitation, agreeing that Cuțelaba's erratic style and poor fight IQ make him prone to losing. He notes that Boser's consistent, unimaginative approach may be enough to outlast Cuțelaba's wild aggression. However, Connor warns that dropping to light heavyweight could be a terrible idea for Boser, as the speed of the division may expose him to shots he didn't see at heavyweight.

"I kind of favor Boser here simply because his defining quality at heavyweight was just relentless unimaginative consistency."
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Lean picked Apr 11, 2023 (4 days before fight)
Ion Cuțelaba

Cuțelaba's wrestling background should be the key against Boser, who has grappling deficiencies. Boser is moving to light heavyweight but still has issues with takedown defense. Cuțelaba is desperate for a win and may revert to his wrestling. However, his confidence and game plan are uncertain after three straight losses. Expect a grinding decision if he uses his wrestling.

"I'm gonna lean kutilaba here I'm going to lead him by decision."
PA
Paul Shaughnessy Expert Lean picked Apr 12, 2023 (3 days before fight)
Tanner Boser

Paul notes Boser has made 205 before and has good striking and cardio. He thinks Cuțelaba will win the first round but gas, allowing Boser to take over. He likes Boser as a live underdog and picks him outright.

Live bet after first round
"I'm gonna go with Tanner Bose I know we've said this in the last prior two fights I'm gonna take the underdog out right in this one"
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked Apr 11, 2023 (4 days before fight)
Tanner Boser

The MMA Guru picks Tanner Boser to win, possibly by finish, as he drops to light heavyweight. He believes Boser's improved physique, footwork, and boxing will overwhelm Cuțelaba, who is on a three-fight losing streak and may be mentally fragile. He notes Cuțelaba's wrestling and durability but thinks Boser's pressure and striking will be too much.

Boser wins by finish (KO/TKO)
"I'm gonna take Tanner Bossier to get a finish"
ZA
Zane Simon Expert Hesitant picked Apr 13, 2023 (2 days before fight)
Tanner Boser

Zane picks Boser hesitantly, citing Cuțelaba's tendency to self-destruct and Boser's consistency. He notes that Cuțelaba has become overly reliant on takedowns and burns energy, while Boser is durable and methodical. However, Zane expresses concern about Boser dropping to light heavyweight, as the speed and athleticism of the division may negate his durability advantage.

"I'll take Boser because there's so many ways for Cuțelaba to melt down and self destruct."
TKO (knee and punches) R2 1:02 · UFC Fight Night: Nzechukwu vs. Cutelaba · Nov 19, 2022
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Kennedy Nzechukwu 1 24 of 42 57% 24 of 42 0 of 1 0% 0 0 1:14
Ion Cuțelaba 0 9 of 26 34% 30 of 57 2 of 8 25% 0 0 3:32
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Kennedy Nzechukwu 0 2 of 6 33% 2 of 6 0 of 1 0% 0 0 1:07
Ion Cuțelaba 0 5 of 6 83% 26 of 37 2 of 6 33% 0 0 3:32
2 Kennedy Nzechukwu 1 22 of 36 61% 22 of 36 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:07
Ion Cuțelaba 0 4 of 20 20% 4 of 20 0 of 2 0% 0 0 0:00
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Kennedy Nzechukwu 24 of 42 57% 22 of 40 2 of 2 0 of 0 15 of 32 0 of 0 9 of 10
Ion Cuțelaba 9 of 26 34% 7 of 23 0 of 1 2 of 2 8 of 24 0 of 1 1 of 1
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Kennedy Nzechukwu 2 of 6 33% 2 of 6 0 of 0 0 of 0 2 of 6 0 of 0 0 of 0
Ion Cuțelaba 5 of 6 83% 4 of 5 0 of 0 1 of 1 4 of 4 0 of 1 1 of 1
2 Kennedy Nzechukwu 22 of 36 61% 20 of 34 2 of 2 0 of 0 13 of 26 0 of 0 9 of 10
Ion Cuțelaba 4 of 20 20% 3 of 18 0 of 1 1 of 1 4 of 20 0 of 0 0 of 0
Play-by-Play
View on Sherdog
Ion Cutelaba vs. Kennedy Nzechukwu
BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Nzechukwu (-175), Cutelaba (+150)

Round 1
Do not adjust your set, we have reached the main event of the evening. This three-round light heavyweight affair is the new marquee matchup, if you have not been following the news today thus far. With knockout rates of 70% or higher, they very well might not need those 15 minutes, and referee Keith Peterson is on high alert and prepared to dispose of any nonsense that rears its ugly head. Nzechukwu (10-3, 4-3 UFC) looks to put two wins together after his demolition of Karl Roberson in July, while Cutelaba (16-8-1, 1 NC; 5-7-1 UFC) is gunning to get back in the win column. This almost certainly ultraviolent affair begins with a touch of gloves as these two are thrilled to be here, and it’s on with the makeshift headliner. Nzechukwu begins with a jab and a one-two, and he trips up Cutelaba in an odd exchange. Cutelaba unloads with three punches that appear to hurt Nzechukwu, and he suddenly grabs a takedown even though his right hand stung the Fortis MMA fighter. Cutelaba elevates and drops Nzechukwu to his knees, and Nzechukwu climbs back up to absorb several crisp uppercuts. Nzechukwu breaks the grip around his waist and blocks a high knee just in the nick of time. Cutelaba secures a trip, and Nzechukwu nearly grabs the top of the cage to stop it from succeeding. “The Hulk” falls straight into full mount, and he drops down a few punches until Nzechukwu drags him back to half guard. The defensive grappling of Nzechukwu allows him to bring Cutelaba back to the guard, and he kicks off and fights to his feet. Cutelaba grabs him from behind and considers lifting and slamming Nzechukwu again, but that does not succeed on a second attempt. Cutelaba hits a throw and lands in scarf hold position, and he isolates Nzechukwu’s arm while slamming his left hand into Nzechukwu’s face. Cutelaba cannot get the armlock, and Nzechukwu does enough to fight out of the position and stand back up. Cutelaba defends with a standing kimura effort, in which he plans on taking the fight back down to the mat again. Cutelaba stomps the toes several times with his heel, doing so until the horn sounds.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Cutelaba
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Cutelaba
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Cutelaba

Round 2
Fists are bumped to commence Round 2, and the strikes come fast and furious from both fighters. Nzechukwu reaches with a left hand, and Cutelaba loads up on power punches. Cutelaba rushes forward for a takedown, and Nzechukwu times a perfect knee that busts into Cutelaba’s chin. Cutelaba eats it like a platter of friptura and somehow is not completely out from the devastating blow. Nzechukwu looks hammer the nail, but Cutelaba works his way back up to his feet and swings for the fences. As they wildly continue striking, a foot from Cutelaba comes up and smacks into the cup. Nzechukwu bellows but takes a couple seconds before Peterson can even pause the fight to wave him off and say he wants to continue fighting. Cutelaba strikes, and
Nzechukwu lashes back with a flying knee that cracks the Moldovan’s chin. When Nzechukwu plants both feet on the ground, he shoves Cutelaba back, and Cutelaba is in big trouble as his legs go splayed like a baby deer on a frozen pond. Nzechukwu loads up and smashes “The Hulk” with several punches, punctuated by a ruthless uppercut that practically separates Cutelaba from his senses. While Nzechukwu beats on him, Cutelaba reaches one knee while leaned up against the fence, but the assault is not slowing. “African Savage” swings his fists like wrecking balls, and the damage is insurmountable as Peterson intervenes to rescue Cutelaba from any further harm.
That is one more comeback victory for Nzechukwu, who woke up this morning and chose violence, earning what should register as the biggest win of his career. The man who can unleash great vengeance and furious anger is soft-spoken on the microphone, giving his love to his mother suffering from illness and praising his training partners and team for the end result. That’s it. There are no more fights tonight after this one. With luck, Derrick Lewis will recover from his illness soon and get back to action. The UFC takes next week off for Thanksgiving, and it will return in Orlando in December. We will be here for it, and we hope you are too.

The Official Result
Kennedy Nzechukwu def. Ion Cutelaba R2 1:02 via TKO (Flying Knee and Punches)
Devin Clark - Fight History
LOSS vs Marcin Prachnio
Decision (unanimous) (30–27, 30–27, 30–27) R3 5:00 · UFC Fight Night: Hermansson vs. Pyfer · Feb 10, 2024
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Marcin Prachnio 0 53 of 127 41% 53 of 127 0 of 2 0% 0 0 0:14
Devin Clark 0 101 of 189 53% 112 of 204 1 of 1 100% 0 0 0:44
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Marcin Prachnio 0 11 of 29 37% 11 of 29 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:14
Devin Clark 0 23 of 47 48% 27 of 53 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:04
2 Marcin Prachnio 0 19 of 36 52% 19 of 36 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:00
Devin Clark 0 30 of 60 50% 32 of 62 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:08
3 Marcin Prachnio 0 23 of 62 37% 23 of 62 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Devin Clark 0 48 of 82 58% 53 of 89 1 of 1 100% 0 0 0:32
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Marcin Prachnio 53 of 127 41% 36 of 106 13 of 16 4 of 5 49 of 120 4 of 7 0 of 0
Devin Clark 101 of 189 53% 42 of 113 37 of 51 22 of 25 78 of 156 23 of 33 0 of 0
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Marcin Prachnio 11 of 29 37% 7 of 24 2 of 3 2 of 2 11 of 28 0 of 1 0 of 0
Devin Clark 23 of 47 48% 8 of 28 7 of 9 8 of 10 21 of 42 2 of 5 0 of 0
2 Marcin Prachnio 19 of 36 52% 13 of 29 5 of 6 1 of 1 17 of 34 2 of 2 0 of 0
Devin Clark 30 of 60 50% 9 of 33 9 of 15 12 of 12 26 of 52 4 of 8 0 of 0
3 Marcin Prachnio 23 of 62 37% 16 of 53 6 of 7 1 of 2 21 of 58 2 of 4 0 of 0
Devin Clark 48 of 82 58% 25 of 52 21 of 27 2 of 3 31 of 62 17 of 20 0 of 0
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert Confident picked Feb 4, 2024 (6 days before fight)
Devin Clark

Angelo believes Devin Clark can pressure forward, avoid Prachnio's power, get takedowns, and grind out a win. He notes Clark's solid grappling and footwork, and that Prachnio has a questionable chin. He thinks Clark should win, but the -190 odds are a bit rich; he would prefer Clark at -150. He will monitor the line movement.

"Devin Clark should win this fight pretty confident in him."
BI
Big Brady Expert Hesitant picked Feb 5, 2024 (5 days before fight)
Devin Clark

Big Brady hesitantly picks Devin Clark to win by decision. He notes that Clark has a clear path to victory through wrestling, as Prachnio has terrible takedown defense and ground game. However, he is not confident because Clark has poor cardio and has been finished often, and Prachnio's fights have had weird results.

"I'm going to pick him here just because I feel like he has such a clear path to Victory with the wrestling"
CO
Cody Saftic Expert Hesitant picked Feb 7, 2024 (3 days before fight)
Marcin Prachnio

Cody picks Prachnio as a dog, noting Clark's cardio issues and tendency to fade. Prachnio has power and has shown he can survive early takedowns and come back. Cody thinks if Clark doesn't finish early, Prachnio can knock him out in the later rounds. He suggests a prop on Prachnio by KO in round 3 at long odds.

Prachnio by KO round 3 (+2400)
"prne round three 20 to one I mean he's probably gonna I don't think he has any submission skills whatsoever so what's him by KO round three 24 24 that would be that would be the move"
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Hesitant picked Feb 5, 2024 (5 days before fight)
Devin Clark

Clark should be able to use his clinch and grappling to push Prachnio against the cage and drag him to the mat. Prachnio has questionable takedown defense and durability. However, Clark is inconsistent and has a history of fumbling fights he's winning. The line at -210 is too wide for someone as flimsy as Clark, but he should still win by decision.

"I'll still take him to win this fight I still think he wins by decision but it is a closer fight in my opinion than the odds indicate"
PA
Paul Shaughnessy Expert Hesitant picked Feb 7, 2024 (3 days before fight)
Marcin Prachnio

Paul also picks Prachnio, agreeing with Cody's assessment. He notes Clark's wrestling advantage but thinks Prachnio can survive and find a knockout. Paul mentions that Clark has been knocked out before and that Prachnio has power. He is tempted by the dog price and the prop.

Prachnio by KO round 3
"I'm with you pretty clear dogger pass and I mean if you're telling me to to be sprinkling plus 2400s I mean yeah let's go baby"
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Hesitant picked Feb 7, 2024 (3 days before fight)
Marcin Prachnio

The MMA Guru picks Marcin Prachnio as an underdog after initially leaning toward Devin Clark. He notes that Clark has taken a lot of damage and lacks one-punch KO power or submission threat. He believes Prachnio can out-damage Clark on the feet with better striking skill. He acknowledges the pick is risky but thinks Prachnio is a lot better than Clark in terms of before a finish.

"I'm going to go marching Prat as an underdog... I think prano can outdamage him on the feet with a better striking skill."
Technical Submission (guillotine choke) R2 2:28 · UFC 288: Sterling vs. Cejudo · May 06, 2023
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Kennedy Nzechukwu 0 62 of 81 76% 79 of 98 0 of 1 0% 1 0 3:42
Devin Clark 0 36 of 58 62% 61 of 90 1 of 4 25% 0 0 1:04
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Kennedy Nzechukwu 0 41 of 53 77% 54 of 66 0 of 1 0% 0 0 2:35
Devin Clark 0 25 of 37 67% 47 of 65 1 of 3 33% 0 0 0:44
2 Kennedy Nzechukwu 0 21 of 28 75% 25 of 32 0 of 0 --- 1 0 1:07
Devin Clark 0 11 of 21 52% 14 of 25 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:20
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Kennedy Nzechukwu 62 of 81 76% 44 of 63 18 of 18 0 of 0 9 of 17 53 of 64 0 of 0
Devin Clark 36 of 58 62% 25 of 46 7 of 8 4 of 4 13 of 28 23 of 30 0 of 0
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Kennedy Nzechukwu 41 of 53 77% 34 of 46 7 of 7 0 of 0 2 of 3 39 of 50 0 of 0
Devin Clark 25 of 37 67% 18 of 29 3 of 4 4 of 4 5 of 10 20 of 27 0 of 0
2 Kennedy Nzechukwu 21 of 28 75% 10 of 17 11 of 11 0 of 0 7 of 14 14 of 14 0 of 0
Devin Clark 11 of 21 52% 7 of 17 4 of 4 0 of 0 8 of 18 3 of 3 0 of 0
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert Confident picked Apr 30, 2023 (6 days before fight)
Kennedy Nzechukwu

Angelo picks Kennedy Nzechukwu, noting his length, power, and ability to come back from behind. He compares this fight to Kennedy's last win where he lost the first round before knocking out Jan Kutulaba. Angelo is hesitant because Kennedy can be a slow starter and gun-shy, which could allow Devin Clark to grind out early rounds. However, he believes Kennedy hits too hard and is never out of a fight, expecting a finish similar to his last performance.

"I've got to go Kennedy and chuckle here right well Devin could have some early success wrestling... Kennedy Just Hits too hard"
BI
Big Brady Expert Confident picked May 1, 2023 (5 days before fight)
Kennedy Nzechukwu

Big Brady picks Nzechukwu, citing his massive size and reach advantages. He notes Nzechukwu is finally putting it together, showing improved grappling and takedown defense. He believes Clark will struggle with the reach and power, and Nzechukwu's get-up game is excellent. He predicts a second-round knockout, as Nzechukwu starts slow but finishes strong.

Second round knockout prediction
"I like Kennedy here I like Kennedy to start slow... I think he finishes Devin Clark in that second or third round by knockout"
CO
Cody Saftic Expert Confident picked May 3, 2023 (3 days before fight)
Devin Clark

Cody sees value in Clark at plus money, noting his cardio and cage control are his best weapons. He believes Clark can press Nzechukwu against the fence, use outside trips to take him down, and grind out a win. He points out that Nzechukwu has been taken down by lesser wrestlers and Clark's style is perfectly suited to exploit that.

Live betting on Clark after first round
"I'm gonna go with the first option which is uh he holds on to him against the cage and wins two of the three rounds"
CO
Connor Ruebusch Expert Confident picked May 4, 2023 (2 days before fight)
Kennedy Nzechukwu

Connor picks Nzechukwu more confidently, arguing that Nzechukwu has a plan and can use pressure striking and reach, not just clinching. He notes Devin Clark has no technical foundation and relies on physicality, but Nzechukwu can adapt and find moments. Connor acknowledges Clark is tough and strong, but Nzechukwu should be able to outwork him.

Nzechukwu opened at -217, now -180; Clark opened +182, now +163.
"I do have to pick the Chukwu. He's a fighter with a plan and Devin Clark isn't."
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Confident picked May 1, 2023 (5 days before fight)
Kennedy Nzechukwu

The host picks Kennedy Nzechukwu by late first round stoppage. He believes Nzechukwu's improved striking and power will overcome Devin Clark's grappling. He notes Clark's durability issues and expects Nzechukwu to land big shots after a potentially sticky early grappling exchange.

Nzechukwu by stoppage, round 1
"I'm going to go in zatsuku here by late first round stoppage"
PA
Paul Shaughnessy Expert Confident picked May 3, 2023 (3 days before fight)
Devin Clark

Paul also picks Clark, having bet him at +180. He notes Clark's chin concerns are overblown, as he's shown durability in recent fights. He expects Clark to use his wrestling and pressure to control the fight, similar to his win over Jung. He thinks the line is too wide.

"I took a shot at plus 180 on Devin Clark not exactly my favorite fighter historically I just thought the line is a little bit wide"
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked May 1, 2023 (5 days before fight)
Kennedy Nzechukwu

The Guru picks Nzechukwu, citing his size and range advantage over Clark. He believes Nzechukwu will pick at Clark on the feet and land knees as Clark closes distance. He acknowledges Nzechukwu's questionable chin (KO by Dalton Young) but thinks Clark's wrestling won't be effective due to Nzechukwu's size. He predicts a TKO in the later rounds.

TKO in later rounds
"I'm gonna side with nazochukwu over Devon Clark ... I'm going with him by TKO in the later rounds"
ZA
Zane Simon Expert Hesitant picked May 4, 2023 (2 days before fight)
Kennedy Nzechukwu

Zane picks Nzechukwu but is hesitant because Nzechukwu is not a range fighter and may struggle to avoid Clark's physicality. He notes Clark is beatable if you don't fight his fight, but Nzechukwu tends to clinch and pressure, which could play into Clark's strengths. However, Nzechukwu gets stronger as fights go on and Clark is not a finisher, giving Nzechukwu time to grow into the fight.

Nzechukwu opened at -217, now -180; Clark opened +182, now +163; odds tightening.
"I'm going to pick the Chukwu because he does get stronger as fights go on and Clark is not a finisher."
WIN vs Da Woon Jung
Decision (unanimous) (30–27, 30–27, 30–27) R3 5:00 · UFC Fight Night: Lewis vs. Spivac · Feb 04, 2023
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Devin Clark 0 18 of 52 34% 43 of 78 1 of 5 20% 0 0 5:48
Da Woon Jung 0 39 of 70 55% 96 of 136 3 of 11 27% 0 0 5:02
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Devin Clark 0 5 of 15 33% 9 of 20 0 of 4 0% 0 0 2:06
Da Woon Jung 0 10 of 15 66% 42 of 52 1 of 2 50% 0 0 2:09
2 Devin Clark 0 6 of 12 50% 23 of 29 0 of 0 --- 0 0 2:16
Da Woon Jung 0 10 of 18 55% 24 of 35 1 of 3 33% 0 0 1:25
3 Devin Clark 0 7 of 25 28% 11 of 29 1 of 1 100% 0 0 1:26
Da Woon Jung 0 19 of 37 51% 30 of 49 1 of 6 16% 0 0 1:28
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Devin Clark 18 of 52 34% 11 of 42 6 of 9 1 of 1 7 of 36 11 of 16 0 of 0
Da Woon Jung 39 of 70 55% 22 of 51 5 of 6 12 of 13 26 of 52 11 of 14 2 of 4
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Devin Clark 5 of 15 33% 5 of 15 0 of 0 0 of 0 2 of 10 3 of 5 0 of 0
Da Woon Jung 10 of 15 66% 4 of 9 1 of 1 5 of 5 6 of 9 3 of 3 1 of 3
2 Devin Clark 6 of 12 50% 2 of 8 3 of 3 1 of 1 3 of 7 3 of 5 0 of 0
Da Woon Jung 10 of 18 55% 4 of 12 1 of 1 5 of 5 6 of 13 4 of 5 0 of 0
3 Devin Clark 7 of 25 28% 4 of 19 3 of 6 0 of 0 2 of 19 5 of 6 0 of 0
Da Woon Jung 19 of 37 51% 14 of 30 3 of 4 2 of 3 14 of 30 4 of 6 1 of 1
BI
Big Brady Expert Confident picked Jan 29, 2023 (6 days before fight)
Da Woon Jung

Big Brady sees Jung as the bigger, more powerful striker with solid takedown defense. He criticizes Devin Clark's recent performance and lack of wrestling. He expects Jung to knock out Clark early, likely in the first round.

first round knockout
"I like Dao and junk to win by knockout and I think it probably comes you know pretty early"
CO
Cody Saftic Expert Lean picked Feb 1, 2023 (3 days before fight)
Da Woon Jung

Cody leans toward Jung but is not confident. He notes Jung's power and elbows in the clinch, but worries about his cardio and size. He thinks Devin Clark could grind out a decision by pressing Jung against the cage. He considers the line too big and prefers to pass or bet the over 2.5 rounds at +130.

Over 2.5 rounds (+130)
"part of me is actually worried that this was this would be the big Underdog that comes through... largely this fight's a pass I guess got into my head if I had to pick I would probably take dong Jung"
CO
Connor Ruebusch Expert Confident picked Feb 2, 2023 (2 days before fight)
Da Woon Jung

Connor picks Da Woon Jung, citing his reach advantage and consistent pressure striking. He notes that Devin Clark lacks a process in his striking, with no jab, feints, or defense, and that his father's coaching has stunted his development. Connor expects Jung to win a three-round decision, as Clark is durable but unable to handle Jung's range and output.

"Down Jung is gonna win. Yeah, I mean this one's pretty simple... Devin Clark is an utter lack of process."
PA
Paul Shaughnessy Expert Lean picked Feb 1, 2023 (3 days before fight)
Da Woon Jung

Paul also leans toward Jung but is not betting. He notes Jung's size advantage (6'4" vs 6'0") and power, but acknowledges Clark's durability and grinding style. He points out that Clark often fights to a decision and lacks killer instinct. He prefers to avoid the fight entirely.

"I'm actually siding with you with daang Jung but yeah minus 250 it just doesn't doesn't get me too excited on this car"
ZA
Zane Simon Expert Confident picked Feb 2, 2023 (2 days before fight)
Da Woon Jung

Zane agrees with Connor, picking Da Woon Jung. He highlights Jung's size and durability, and Clark's inability to put together combinations or defend effectively. Zane notes that Clark's only chance is a surprise head kick, but Jung's consistent pressure and reach will lead to a clear decision win.

"Down Jung is gonna win. Yeah, I mean this one's pretty simple... Devin Clark is an utter lack of process."
TKO (punches) R3 1:18 · UFC on ESPN: Vera vs. Cruz · Aug 13, 2022
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Azamat Murzakanov 0 14 of 52 26% 39 of 83 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:26
Devin Clark 1 79 of 106 74% 95 of 127 0 of 1 0% 0 0 3:40
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Azamat Murzakanov 0 6 of 23 26% 17 of 35 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Devin Clark 0 7 of 15 46% 12 of 23 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:52
2 Azamat Murzakanov 0 5 of 19 26% 19 of 38 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:26
Devin Clark 0 41 of 52 78% 52 of 64 0 of 0 --- 0 0 2:24
3 Azamat Murzakanov 0 3 of 10 30% 3 of 10 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Devin Clark 1 31 of 39 79% 31 of 40 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:24
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Azamat Murzakanov 14 of 52 26% 4 of 29 3 of 7 7 of 16 13 of 50 1 of 2 0 of 0
Devin Clark 79 of 106 74% 41 of 65 31 of 34 7 of 7 24 of 42 9 of 9 46 of 55
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Azamat Murzakanov 6 of 23 26% 2 of 11 0 of 2 4 of 10 6 of 23 0 of 0 0 of 0
Devin Clark 7 of 15 46% 4 of 12 3 of 3 0 of 0 7 of 15 0 of 0 0 of 0
2 Azamat Murzakanov 5 of 19 26% 2 of 12 1 of 3 2 of 4 4 of 17 1 of 2 0 of 0
Devin Clark 41 of 52 78% 12 of 21 22 of 24 7 of 7 10 of 18 9 of 9 22 of 25
3 Azamat Murzakanov 3 of 10 30% 0 of 6 2 of 2 1 of 2 3 of 10 0 of 0 0 of 0
Devin Clark 31 of 39 79% 25 of 32 6 of 7 0 of 0 7 of 9 0 of 0 24 of 30
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert Confident picked Aug 7, 2022 (6 days before fight)
Azamat Murzakanov

Angelo picks Azamat Murzakanov, citing his power and wrestling credentials. He notes Devin Clark has chin issues and Murzakanov is the more dangerous fighter. He likes the value at -170, believing the line should be closer to -200.

Value bet at -170
"i like the value here as well at -170 the line should probably be closer to minus 200. so at minus 170 i think azmat murzakanov is a solid bet"
BI
Big Brady Expert Confident picked Aug 9, 2022 (4 days before fight)
Azamat Murzakanov

Big Brady picks Azamat Murzakanov to knock out Devin Clark early, likely in the first round. He notes that Murzakanov has power that carries into later rounds, as shown in his last fight. Clark has poor striking defense (46%) and has been finished in six of seven losses. Murzakanov is a much better striker and has dangerous ground and pound. Brady expects a quick finish.

first round knockout
"i think marzicano does finish devin clark here um early on"
CO
Cody Saftic Expert Confident picked Aug 10, 2022 (3 days before fight)
Azamat Murzakanov

Cody picks Murzakanov by knockout, noting he liked him coming into the TUF fight and cashed his flying knee finish. He thinks the line is moving toward Clark, so he may wait for a better price. Cody believes Murzakanov has enough grappling to keep the fight standing and will land a knockout.

Murzakanov by knockout
"i'm gonna you know hold my breath wait and uh maybe snatch an even better price than the minus 145 that we see right now"
DA
Daniel Levi Expert Confident picked Aug 10, 2022 (3 days before fight)
Azamat Murzakanov

Daniel Levi picks Azamat Murzakanov, dismissing the narrative that his last win was a fluke. He explains that Murzakanov was winning on two scorecards before the finish and that his speed and power will be too much for Devin Clark. Levi notes that Clark tends to blitz with his chin up and that Murzakanov has knockout power, predicting a KO win.

"Give me Murzakanov for the win."
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Confident picked Aug 13, 2022 (fight day)
Azamat Murzakanov

The host expects an early finish from Murzakanov, noting his big power but not much volume. He includes Murzakanov in his totals parlay under 1.5 rounds, expecting a first-round KO.

Under 1.5 rounds (in parlay).
"clark merzokandoff under one and a half obviously expecting a merchant of early finish there"
PA
Paul Shaughnessy Expert Confident picked Aug 10, 2022 (3 days before fight)
Azamat Murzakanov

Paul picks Murzakanov by knockout in round two. He criticizes Clark's durability and low volume, noting Clark has been knocked out before and relies on pressing opponents against the cage. Paul believes Murzakanov has heavier hands and will clip Clark with something like a flying knee.

Murzakanov by knockout round two
"i got mercy on knockout round two"
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked Aug 8, 2022 (5 days before fight)
Azamat Murzakanov

The host picks Azamat Murzakanov, recalling his previous knockout of Devin Clark in a regional tournament. He trusts Murzakanov's stand-up and grappling, and believes Clark has taken too much damage over his career. He expects a first-round TKO in a firefight, though he acknowledges Clark's power makes it risky.

first round TKO
"i'm going to go with azamat masakanov getting a tko in the first round in a firefight"
TKO (punches) R3 3:21 · UFC on ESPN: Luque vs. Muhammad 2 · Apr 16, 2022
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Devin Clark 1 34 of 47 72% 125 of 140 2 of 5 40% 0 0 5:46
William Knight 0 21 of 41 51% 39 of 59 1 of 1 100% 2 0 2:09
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Devin Clark 0 3 of 9 33% 33 of 39 0 of 3 0% 0 0 1:14
William Knight 0 10 of 18 55% 19 of 27 0 of 0 --- 2 0 2:03
2 Devin Clark 0 12 of 15 80% 63 of 68 1 of 1 100% 0 0 3:13
William Knight 0 6 of 9 66% 8 of 11 1 of 1 100% 0 0 0:06
3 Devin Clark 1 19 of 23 82% 29 of 33 1 of 1 100% 0 0 1:19
William Knight 0 5 of 14 35% 12 of 21 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Devin Clark 34 of 47 72% 19 of 30 5 of 6 10 of 11 25 of 37 4 of 5 5 of 5
William Knight 21 of 41 51% 11 of 29 3 of 3 7 of 9 16 of 35 5 of 6 0 of 0
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Devin Clark 3 of 9 33% 2 of 8 1 of 1 0 of 0 3 of 8 0 of 1 0 of 0
William Knight 10 of 18 55% 9 of 16 0 of 0 1 of 2 6 of 13 4 of 5 0 of 0
2 Devin Clark 12 of 15 80% 5 of 8 2 of 2 5 of 5 10 of 13 0 of 0 2 of 2
William Knight 6 of 9 66% 2 of 5 0 of 0 4 of 4 6 of 9 0 of 0 0 of 0
3 Devin Clark 19 of 23 82% 12 of 14 2 of 3 5 of 6 12 of 16 4 of 4 3 of 3
William Knight 5 of 14 35% 0 of 8 3 of 3 2 of 3 4 of 13 1 of 1 0 of 0
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert Confident picked Apr 10, 2022 (6 days before fight)
William Knight

Angelo picks William Knight, believing he hits too hard and has his own wrestling. He notes that both are moving up to heavyweight, but Knight will be the bigger, faster, and harder-hitting fighter. He expresses concern about Knight's cardio with added muscle and his wrestling defense, but still thinks Knight gets the win and redeems himself from the weight miss.

"i still think william knight gets this done i think he just hits too hard his cardio should be good enough"
BI
Big Brady Expert Confident picked Apr 12, 2022 (4 days before fight)
Devin Clark

Big Brady picks Devin Clark to win by decision. He notes Clark has fought much better competition, has cardio, and can take the fight to the ground. He criticizes William Knight's 33% striking defense, low volume, poor takedown defense, and cardio issues. However, he is cautious because the fight is at heavyweight, which could favor Knight. He expects Clark to grind out a decision.

win by decision
"you got to go devin clark here and i got to go devin clark by decision"
CO
Cody Saftic Expert Confident picked Apr 12, 2022 (4 days before fight)
Devin Clark

Cody picks Clark, emphasizing his wrestling and clinch work. He thinks Clark can grind Knight against the cage and win a decision. He notes Knight's lack of output and Clark's edge in wrestling.

"i'll take devin clark devin clark my decision"
DA
Daniel Levi Expert picked Apr 14, 2022 (2 days before fight)

Daniel Levi has no clear pick for this fight. He acknowledges Devin Clark is much more skilled with good wrestling and experience, but notes he has been finished multiple times and can break mentally. William Knight is unskilled with poor defense but has tremendous toughness, power, and explosiveness, similar to Derrick Lewis. Levi says the fight could go either way depending on which version shows up, and he has no conviction on a pick.

"I don't know man I don't [ __ ] know."
PA
Paul Shaughnessy Expert Hesitant picked Apr 12, 2022 (4 days before fight)
Devin Clark

Paul picks Clark but is hesitant, noting the weigh-ins will be important. He thinks Clark's wrestling and pace will be key, but worries about Clark's chin and Knight's power. He expects a decision win for Clark.

"i like clark i think in this spot as long as he doesn't get clipped"
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked Apr 11, 2022 (5 days before fight)
William Knight

The MMA Guru picks William Knight by first-round KO. He notes the fight is at heavyweight, benefiting Knight who doesn't have to cut weight, and that Devin Clark is coming off a horrific jaw injury from Krzysztof Jotko. He believes Clark will be hesitant and Knight's power will prevail.

first round KO
"william knight gets it done by first round ko"
LOSS vs Ion Cuțelaba
Decision (unanimous) (30–26, 29–26, 29–27) R3 5:00 · UFC Fight Night: Smith vs. Spann · Sep 18, 2021
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Ion Cuțelaba 1 64 of 101 63% 92 of 138 8 of 12 66% 0 0 8:48
Devin Clark 0 23 of 52 44% 84 of 130 1 of 6 16% 0 0 1:58
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Ion Cuțelaba 1 47 of 73 64% 53 of 79 3 of 4 75% 0 0 2:08
Devin Clark 0 11 of 19 57% 18 of 29 1 of 2 50% 0 0 0:53
2 Ion Cuțelaba 0 11 of 19 57% 24 of 38 2 of 3 66% 0 0 3:24
Devin Clark 0 3 of 13 23% 23 of 39 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:01
3 Ion Cuțelaba 0 6 of 9 66% 15 of 21 3 of 5 60% 0 0 3:16
Devin Clark 0 9 of 20 45% 43 of 62 0 of 4 0% 0 0 1:04
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Ion Cuțelaba 64 of 101 63% 59 of 95 4 of 5 1 of 1 7 of 21 11 of 16 46 of 64
Devin Clark 23 of 52 44% 10 of 32 3 of 7 10 of 13 12 of 32 8 of 13 3 of 7
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Ion Cuțelaba 47 of 73 64% 42 of 67 4 of 5 1 of 1 5 of 13 9 of 12 33 of 48
Devin Clark 11 of 19 57% 4 of 9 0 of 1 7 of 9 8 of 14 3 of 5 0 of 0
2 Ion Cuțelaba 11 of 19 57% 11 of 19 0 of 0 0 of 0 2 of 6 2 of 3 7 of 10
Devin Clark 3 of 13 23% 0 of 9 2 of 3 1 of 1 3 of 12 0 of 1 0 of 0
3 Ion Cuțelaba 6 of 9 66% 6 of 9 0 of 0 0 of 0 0 of 2 0 of 1 6 of 6
Devin Clark 9 of 20 45% 6 of 14 1 of 3 2 of 3 1 of 6 5 of 7 3 of 7
Play-by-Play
View on Sherdog
Devin Clark vs. Ion Cutelaba

Round 1
In the co-main event, we have reached the age-old question of whether “The Hulk” could take on a bear. Soon, in front of referee Keith Peterson, we will have our answer when “The Hulk” Cutelaba (15-6-1, 1 NC; 4-5-1 UFC) meets “Brown Bear” Clark (12-5, 6-5 UFC) in the center of the Octagon. There is no interest in a glove touch from the light heavyweights and nonsense is left to a minimum, as Cutelaba just wants to smash. Cutelaba starts off with a spinning back fist, and Clark rushes in and hits an early takedown to drag Cutelaba down to the canvas. The Moldovan gets right back to his feet without much effort, and Clark grinds him into the wall to try to get him back down. Cutelaba blocks a takedown try with a high knee, and he uses the other to thump on Clark’s chest a few times. Cutelaba pushes away with a heavy knee, and he rushes after Clark with a body kick. Clark swings and misses with a counter, but he does get a kick off to Cutelaba’s heavy plant leg. Cutelaba paws out with a few jabs as he corks back a right hand, and he tries to block a low kick as he slowly works his way in. Clark just misses landing a hook kick, and he strides ahead to pop Cutelaba in the chops with a head kick. “The Hulk” does not register the blow, and instead stalks Clark down before jumping ahead with a thudding knee. Clark circles away so that he can chop down Cutelaba’s leg, much to the delight of his father. Cutelaba winds up with his thunderous right hand, and Clark falls to the ground lifelessly. As Cutelaba comes after him to hammer the nail, Clark comes to and is able to block the follow-up ground-and-pound. Peterson tells Clark to defend himself, and Clark survives by grabbing on to one of Cutelaba’s arms. Cutelaba slugs him in the face a few times and lands a solid knee on the chin as well with Clark leaning against the cage. Cutelaba tries to strip his foe’s legs out beneath him, and Clark grabs the fence to stay upright. Peterson slaps his hand away and Cutelaba brings him back down. Clark, on his knees, gets smashed repeatedly with heavy punches. Clark stands up, and Cutelaba wrenches him back down to take full mount. “The Hulk” smashes with elbows and thunderous punches, and Clark miraculously makes it to the first buzzer.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-8 Cutelaba
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-8 Cutelaba
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-8 Cutelaba

Round 2
Clark rises from off his back like the Undertaker between rounds, and he recovers enough to make it into the second round. Clark walks forward to pursue a takedown, and Cutelaba sees it coming and wings a right hand that just misses. Clark composes himself with multiple leg kicks, and he just manages to escape a big right hand that soars past his chin. Cutelaba counters Clark coming in with a check left hook, and Clark scores a high leg kick. “The Hulk” charges ahead with a bullying takedown, and he practically lands in full mount. Clark holds on for dear life on Cutelaba’s shoulders, keeping him close so that he cannot get off the brutal blows that he ate at the end of the last round. Cutelaba sits up in a high mount with slashing elbows, and Clark protects his mug from some of them but others get through. Cutelaba opts against spending his gas tank by forcing a finishing sequence, instead sitting up every so often to hack with elbows. Clark tries to kick off, bucking and flailing with his legs, but the Moldovan is a 205-pound cement block with jagged edges sitting on his abdomen. Clark kicks off suddenly, turning around just enough to escape out the back door as Cutelaba looks to tie an arm down for a possible submission. Clark spins with a kick that is telegraphed and several feet away from his intended target. Cutelaba powers his way forward to press Clark into the fencing, and he knees Clark in the face before tripping his leg out again. Clark is able to stay upright this time, but he takes another knee that opens a cut. Cutelaba wrests him down to the ground again, and Clark once more gets to a knee and to his feet. Cutelaba grinds with his full body weight, as if he were trying to mash Clark through the wire like he was made of Play-do. The horn sounds, and Clark shouts a loud expletive.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-8 Cutelaba
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-8 Cutelaba
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-8 Cutelaba

Round 3
The doctors come in to check on Clark between rounds, with parts of his lower jaw smashed and his vision struggling. “Brown Bear” is cleared to continue, and he thanks the doctors and Peterson for allowing him to continue by shooting in for a takedown. He nearly lifts Cutelaba off the ground, but Cutelaba ultimately keeps his balance and breaks free. Instead of laying into Clark with strikes, he takes him back down and puts Clark flat on his back. When Cutelaba tries to advance position and reclaim mount, Clark bucks him off and ambles back to his feet. Cutelaba keeps him pressed into the chain-link fence, and Clark looks for a takedown and almost trips Cutelaba to his back. Instead, the Moldovan reverses the position and puts Clark down to the mat. With Clark stacked up, Cutelaba sits on top of him and pins an arm under his knee. With his right hand free, Cutelaba slams his fist into Clark’s face a few times. Cutelaba uses his knee to hold Clark down on his already hammer-smashed face, and he climbs into full mount while Clark’s father watches with dread from his corner. Cutelaba sits up and elbows Clarks a few times, and Clark bursts back to his feet in a rage to start throwing hands with Cutelaba. The Moldovan tries to take him back down, but Clark turns the tables and takes “The Hulk” down and puts him flat on his back. In full guard, Cutelaba holds on and absorbs sporadic punches. Cutelaba kicks off and gets to a knee, and Clark lands a potentially illegal knee while Cutelaba was grounded. Clark lays into him with a few more punches, but the final bell sounds before anything of merit can come from the final flurry. Clark collapses to the ground with the fight over, while Cutelaba stands and raises his arms triumphantly.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Cutelaba (30-25 Cutelaba)
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Clark (29-26 Cutelaba)
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Cutelaba (30-25 Cutelaba)

The Official Result
Ion Cutelaba def. Devin Clark via Unanimous Decision (30-26, 29-26, 29-27)
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert Hesitant picked Sep 15, 2021 (3 days before fight)
Ion Cuțelaba

Angelo is hesitant but leans toward Ion Cuțelaba because of his power and finishing ability. He notes that Devin Clark is a grinder who doesn't finish fights, so if Cuțelaba wins it will be inside the distance, and if he loses it will be a decision. He likes the prop 'Cuțelaba wins inside the distance, decision no action' and the over on rounds.

Ion Cuțelaba wins inside the distance (decision no action); Over 1.5 rounds
"kuta laba wins inside the distance decision no action"
BI
Big Brady Expert Confident picked Sep 14, 2021 (4 days before fight)
Ion Cuțelaba

Big Brady picks Ion Cuțelaba to win by first-round knockout, noting his 93% finish rate and Devin Clark's history of being finished in all his losses. He acknowledges Cuțelaba's cardio concerns but believes he will finish Clark early. He suggests betting Cuțelaba in the first round if betting.

first round knockout, bet Cuțelaba in the first round
"i like kudalab in this fight quite a bit to be honest and i'll take him to win my first round knockout"
CO
Cody Saftic Expert Confident picked Sep 15, 2021 (3 days before fight)
Ion Cuțelaba

Cody picks Cuțelaba, noting his explosive first round and improved cardio training at Extreme Couture. He believes Cuțelaba's wrestling and power will be too much for Clark, who has lost all five of his pro losses inside the distance. Cody warns that Cuțelaba is a 'greasy' bet and that Clark could take over if the fight goes past the first round.

Cuțelaba by submission round 2 (mentioned in final picks)
"the pick will be on kuda lava but like any time that you get on a kuda lava selection get ready for a sweat my man"
DA
Daniel Levi Expert Confident picked Sep 17, 2021 (1 day before fight)
Ion Cuțelaba

Daniel Levi picks Ion Cuțelaba by first-round knockout. He notes Cuțelaba is a first-round-or-bust fighter and that Clark is a chinny spaz with poor fight IQ. He says if it goes past round one, Clark's better cardio could be a factor, but he expects Cuțelaba to get the knockout early. He advises live bettors to watch the line if it goes past the first round.

first round knockout; live betting advice
"give me ewan kutala first round knockout um but goes past the first round y'all live betters y'all live betters let's see let's see what that live line is looking like"
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Lean picked Sep 17, 2021 (1 day before fight)
Ion Cuțelaba

Preet leans Cuțelaba by KO because of his explosiveness and power early. He thinks Cuțelaba will find Clark's chin within the first 6-7 minutes. However, he acknowledges Clark has better cardio and could take over if he survives. He likes Cuțelaba by KO at +105.

Ion Cuțelaba by KO +105
"I'm going to go with cortala beside by ko"
PA
Paul Shaughnessy Expert Lean picked Sep 15, 2021 (3 days before fight)
Ion Cuțelaba

Paul leans toward Cuțelaba but is cautious due to his history of gassing. He suggests this fight is best watched live, as Clark could take over late if he survives the initial onslaught. Paul compares it to the Menifield fight where Clark came back.

"kutalaba is the pick but i've seen him gas enough times that i i don't really want to touch him right now i'll be watching this one closely live though"
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked Sep 12, 2021 (6 days before fight)
Ion Cuțelaba

The MMA Guru picks Ion Cuțelaba by first-round TKO, citing his improved cardio and aggressive style. He believes Cuțelaba can replicate his performance against Dustin Jacoby, overwhelming Clark with pressure and elbows. He notes Clark's questionable chin and history of being finished.

first round TKO
"i'm going to go with yon kutila here against kevin clark i think he'll get the job done by first round tko"
LOSS vs Anthony Smith
Submission (triangle choke) R1 2:34 · UFC on ESPN: Smith vs. Clark · Nov 28, 2020
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Anthony Smith 0 1 of 4 25% 4 of 8 1 of 1 100% 1 0 1:18
Devin Clark 0 1 of 3 33% 27 of 30 0 of 0 --- 0 1 1:07
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Anthony Smith 0 1 of 4 25% 4 of 8 1 of 1 100% 1 0 1:18
Devin Clark 0 1 of 3 33% 27 of 30 0 of 0 --- 0 1 1:07
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Anthony Smith 1 of 4 25% 1 of 4 0 of 0 0 of 0 0 of 2 0 of 0 1 of 2
Devin Clark 1 of 3 33% 1 of 3 0 of 0 0 of 0 1 of 3 0 of 0 0 of 0
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Anthony Smith 1 of 4 25% 1 of 4 0 of 0 0 of 0 0 of 2 0 of 0 1 of 2
Devin Clark 1 of 3 33% 1 of 3 0 of 0 0 of 0 1 of 3 0 of 0 0 of 0
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked Nov 24, 2020 (4 days before fight)
Devin Clark

The MMA Guru believes Devin Clark has the perfect style to beat Anthony Smith, citing Clark's ability to pressure against the cage, use clinch work, and grind out a decision. He notes Smith has taken too much damage recently and has looked poor since getting new teeth, suggesting Smith may be more focused on his analyst role. He predicts Clark will win by unanimous decision, 30-27, and mentions waiting to bet Clark as an underdog.

He mentions waiting to bet Clark as an underdog, expecting the line to move in Smith's favor due to fan betting.
"i think devin clark's going to get the job done and i think the winner of this fight... i'm going to wait a little bit and get devin clark as an underdog"
Decision (unanimous) (30–27, 29–28, 29–28) R3 5:00 · UFC 250: Nunes vs. Spencer · Jun 06, 2020
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Devin Clark 0 39 of 85 45% 54 of 103 0 of 2 0% 0 0 8:42
Alonzo Menifield 0 79 of 124 63% 150 of 198 1 of 10 10% 0 0 2:38
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Devin Clark 0 14 of 37 37% 19 of 43 0 of 0 --- 0 0 3:10
Alonzo Menifield 0 23 of 37 62% 42 of 56 0 of 5 0% 0 0 0:38
2 Devin Clark 0 16 of 33 48% 21 of 39 0 of 0 --- 0 0 3:31
Alonzo Menifield 0 30 of 49 61% 59 of 79 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:12
3 Devin Clark 0 9 of 15 60% 14 of 21 0 of 2 0% 0 0 2:01
Alonzo Menifield 0 26 of 38 68% 49 of 63 1 of 5 20% 0 0 1:48
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Devin Clark 39 of 85 45% 31 of 75 6 of 8 2 of 2 13 of 45 26 of 40 0 of 0
Alonzo Menifield 79 of 124 63% 23 of 67 56 of 57 0 of 0 21 of 62 57 of 61 1 of 1
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Devin Clark 14 of 37 37% 11 of 32 2 of 4 1 of 1 3 of 15 11 of 22 0 of 0
Alonzo Menifield 23 of 37 62% 8 of 22 15 of 15 0 of 0 6 of 17 17 of 20 0 of 0
2 Devin Clark 16 of 33 48% 13 of 30 3 of 3 0 of 0 7 of 22 9 of 11 0 of 0
Alonzo Menifield 30 of 49 61% 7 of 26 23 of 23 0 of 0 8 of 27 22 of 22 0 of 0
3 Devin Clark 9 of 15 60% 7 of 13 1 of 1 1 of 1 3 of 8 6 of 7 0 of 0
Alonzo Menifield 26 of 38 68% 8 of 19 18 of 19 0 of 0 7 of 18 18 of 19 1 of 1
Play-by-Play
View on Sherdog
Alonzo Menifield vs. Devin Clark

Round 1
Moving up to the light heavyweight division, we will see the heaviest bout of the evening take place between the unbeaten power striker Menifield (9-0, 2-0 UFC) and the durable “Brown Bear” Clark (11-4, 4-4 UFC). Referee Mark Smith will serve as the third man in the cage, and the two men do not touch glove as Clark shoots in immediately for a low takedown. Menifield stuffs it but finds his back against the fence, where he powers Clark around as his corner pleads with him to break away and throw bombs. Clark is throwing knees now with his back to the cage, and he repeatedly kicks out the leg from Menifield in an unusual way. The undefeated fighter does not like them, and tries to set up a Thai clinch of sorts, but Clark protects it and continues the low kicks. Menifield lands a blistering uppercut on the break, and Clark is already hurt. Menifield pours it on and throws heavy punches, and a wincing Clark shoots low for a desperation takedown to survive the barrage. In doing so, he halts the momentum and gives himself a moment to recover until Menifield turns him around and gest free. Both men start slugging it out as soon as they separate, and although he lands flush on the hard-charging Menifield, Clark is already hurt once more as he covers his face. The eye of Clark is closing up already, and by the way he is clearly in pain and swelling, it could be an orbital injury. Clark takes a moment to gather himself as Menifield gets off, and Clark is keeping his left eye closed which will do wonders for his depth perception. Menifield crashes forward to land some strikes, and brings up a big knee that Clark is just barely able to block. Clark starts to rip a few knees to the body until Menifield shoves him away, and Clark clips him with a jab that sends Menifield diving in for some kind of a takedown. Clark keeps throwing with one eye closed and tags Menifield a few more times, forcing Menifield to shake out the cobwebs and fall right into a takedown attempt. Clark cannot quite land it, and Menifield turns him about to the fence as the round ends.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Menifield
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Menifield
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-9 Menifield

Round 2
The cardio could be a factor as we reach the second round -- a rare occasion for Menifield -- and Clark’s eye is mostly closed. As Menifield wades forward, he gets dinged by a wild punch from Clark. Menifield regathers himself and races in to fire off a head kick and land some bombs. They clinch up for a moment, and Menifield takes a breath to unload a salvo of slowing punches. Clark does not see as affected by these strikes as he was the first round, and he fires right back at him and does some damage as well. When they are clinched up, Menifield passes the mark for the longest fight in his ten-bout career. Clark works some of those low kicks and wings a right hand and then a left when they break. Clark gets racked with an uppercut that bloodies his mouth up, and as he falls to the fence Menifield tries to blast him with hooks but Clark protects himself. Clark goes wild with some looping shots but is bullrushed into the fence, where Menifield puts his full body weight on him. When they are clinched, Clark keeps the knees going and sets up a Thai clinch to score some more. Menifield finally decides to throw punches in the clinch, as Clark’s strikes are adding up fast. Even with his back mashed against the fence wall, Clark is the one working and doing damage with knees to the gut and punches around the head. Menifield has no answer for the knees, and as they separate, Clark goes ballistic with a string of heavy punches until the horn sounds.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Clark
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Clark
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-9 Clark

Round 3
Clark starts off the round as aggressively as he ended the second, with a bevy of big punches that hurt Menifield. The unbeaten fighter can do nothing but clinch up, and as they break for a moment, Menifield still manages to sting Clark with a left and a knee up the middle. Clark pushes away only to shoot in low for a single, and Menifield sprawls to defend it and walks his man down. Like the previous frame, Clark works knees to the body and forces Menifield to consider his own takedown. Clark defends it by partially grabbing the fence, and he manages to turn Menifield around and goes to the body with some thudding punches. As they try to mount offense, Clark manages to finally wrestle the other man down. Clark is on top, and Menifield is flatted out and likely exhausted. A rear-naked choke opportunity goes unnoticed for Clark as “The Brown Bear” has full back control, but Clark instead wants to pound him out. Menifield twists and turns to get to his back sitting down against the cage. Clark flirts with a guillotine choke but does not have enough to keep Menifield down, and Menifield stands back to his feet. The two continue to jockey for position against the fence, and Clark keeps throwing punches and knees until he shoves Menifield away. Clark uses the moment to dive in deep for a takedown, but Menifield catches up and stands him up until they walk across the floor to the other side of the wall. Although Clark is still with his back to the fence and Smith is calling for action, Clark keeps short but effective offense going. They separate at the 10-second clapper, and decide to end the fight in style by throwing bombs until the final bell.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Clark (29-28 Clark)
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Clark (29-28 Clark)
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-9 Clark (29-28 Clark)

The Official Result
Devin Clark def. Alonzo Menifield via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
BI
Big Brady Expert Confident picked Jun 3, 2020 (3 days before fight)
Alonzo Menifield

Big Brady confidently picks Alonzo Menifield, citing Clark's poor performance against Ryan Spann and his tendency to get finished. He believes Menifield will impose his physicality and finish Clark early, likely in the first round. He notes Clark's only chance is takedowns, but doubts Clark will execute.

Menifield by first-round knockout; Menifield as a parlay piece at -220
"I think many fields going to impose a lot of problems on Clark especially in that first round if Clark can take Benefield down I do think it's a shot I just don't maybe he takes him down by just …"
DA
Daniel Levi Expert Confident picked Jun 4, 2020 (2 days before fight)
Alonzo Menifield

Daniel dismisses the myth that Menifield can't grapple, praising his underhook instincts and physicality. He notes Menifield has developed submissions and ground-and-pound on the regional scene. He criticizes Clark's mentality and tendency to fold under pressure, predicting Menifield will knock him out in the first round. He mentions the line moved due to public betting on Clark, but he's confident in Menifield.

first round knockout
"I think it's gonna be a first-round knockout for Alonso Minnifield"
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Lean picked Jun 4, 2020 (2 days before fight)
Alonzo Menifield

Alonzo Menifield has huge power and is a top-five power puncher in the division. Devin Clark has a suspect chin and has been finished multiple times. Menifield's path to victory is a knockout, likely in the first round. However, Clark has good wrestling and cardio, and if he can survive the early onslaught, he could take over. The fight is a pass for betting, but the pick is Menifield by first-round KO.

Alonzo Menifield by KO in round 1; pass on betting
"i'm going to side with the lonzo middle field as the pick here um that's kind of a squarish pick because you're just banking on the guy to land that knockout punch"
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked May 29, 2020 (8 days before fight)
Alonzo Menifield

The MMA Guru picks Alonzo Menifield over Devin Clark. He believes Menifield is the younger, more rapidly evolving fighter with knockout power, as seen in his wins over Paul Craig and Vinicius Moreira. He notes that Clark is coming off a KO loss and that Menifield has been in training camp, giving him an edge. He is confident in Menifield's potential and expects him to get the job done.

"I'm gonna bet on the knockout power especially seeing as Devin Clark is kind of coming off a KO loss... I'm gonna go the Lonzo many field here"
Expert Picks (7)
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert Hesitant picked Sep 15, 2021 (3 days before fight)
Ion Cuțelaba

Angelo is hesitant but leans toward Ion Cuțelaba because of his power and finishing ability. He notes that Devin Clark is a grinder who doesn't finish fights, so if Cuțelaba wins it will be inside the distance, and if he loses it will be a decision. He likes the prop 'Cuțelaba wins inside the distance, decision no action' and the over on rounds.

Ion Cuțelaba wins inside the distance (decision no action); Over 1.5 rounds
"kuta laba wins inside the distance decision no action"
BI
Big Brady Expert Confident picked Sep 14, 2021 (4 days before fight)
Ion Cuțelaba

Big Brady picks Ion Cuțelaba to win by first-round knockout, noting his 93% finish rate and Devin Clark's history of being finished in all his losses. He acknowledges Cuțelaba's cardio concerns but believes he will finish Clark early. He suggests betting Cuțelaba in the first round if betting.

first round knockout, bet Cuțelaba in the first round
"i like kudalab in this fight quite a bit to be honest and i'll take him to win my first round knockout"
CO
Cody Saftic Expert Confident picked Sep 15, 2021 (3 days before fight)
Ion Cuțelaba

Cody picks Cuțelaba, noting his explosive first round and improved cardio training at Extreme Couture. He believes Cuțelaba's wrestling and power will be too much for Clark, who has lost all five of his pro losses inside the distance. Cody warns that Cuțelaba is a 'greasy' bet and that Clark could take over if the fight goes past the first round.

Cuțelaba by submission round 2 (mentioned in final picks)
"the pick will be on kuda lava but like any time that you get on a kuda lava selection get ready for a sweat my man"
DA
Daniel Levi Expert Confident picked Sep 17, 2021 (1 day before fight)
Ion Cuțelaba

Daniel Levi picks Ion Cuțelaba by first-round knockout. He notes Cuțelaba is a first-round-or-bust fighter and that Clark is a chinny spaz with poor fight IQ. He says if it goes past round one, Clark's better cardio could be a factor, but he expects Cuțelaba to get the knockout early. He advises live bettors to watch the line if it goes past the first round.

first round knockout; live betting advice
"give me ewan kutala first round knockout um but goes past the first round y'all live betters y'all live betters let's see let's see what that live line is looking like"
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Lean picked Sep 17, 2021 (1 day before fight)
Ion Cuțelaba

Preet leans Cuțelaba by KO because of his explosiveness and power early. He thinks Cuțelaba will find Clark's chin within the first 6-7 minutes. However, he acknowledges Clark has better cardio and could take over if he survives. He likes Cuțelaba by KO at +105.

Ion Cuțelaba by KO +105
"I'm going to go with cortala beside by ko"
PA
Paul Shaughnessy Expert Lean picked Sep 15, 2021 (3 days before fight)
Ion Cuțelaba

Paul leans toward Cuțelaba but is cautious due to his history of gassing. He suggests this fight is best watched live, as Clark could take over late if he survives the initial onslaught. Paul compares it to the Menifield fight where Clark came back.

"kutalaba is the pick but i've seen him gas enough times that i i don't really want to touch him right now i'll be watching this one closely live though"
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked Sep 12, 2021 (6 days before fight)
Ion Cuțelaba

The MMA Guru picks Ion Cuțelaba by first-round TKO, citing his improved cardio and aggressive style. He believes Cuțelaba can replicate his performance against Dustin Jacoby, overwhelming Clark with pressure and elbows. He notes Clark's questionable chin and history of being finished.

first round TKO
"i'm going to go with yon kutila here against kevin clark i think he'll get the job done by first round tko"