Austin Vanderford
Career Averages
Win Methods (1)
Loss Methods (1)
Fight History
Totals
| Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ramiz Brahimaj | 0 | 21 of 35 | 60% | 46 of 61 | 0 of 1 | 0% | 2 | 0 | 0:37 |
| Austin Vanderford | 0 | 5 of 16 | 31% | 13 of 24 | 3 of 6 | 50% | 0 | 0 | 3:23 |
Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ramiz Brahimaj | 0 | 4 of 13 | 30% | 16 of 25 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
| Austin Vanderford | 0 | 4 of 12 | 33% | 12 of 20 | 1 of 1 | 100% | 0 | 0 | 2:30 | |
| 2 | Ramiz Brahimaj | 0 | 17 of 22 | 77% | 30 of 36 | 0 of 1 | 0% | 2 | 0 | 0:37 |
| Austin Vanderford | 0 | 1 of 4 | 25% | 1 of 4 | 2 of 5 | 40% | 0 | 0 | 0:53 |
Significant Strikes
| Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ramiz Brahimaj | 21 of 35 | 60% | 18 of 29 | 0 of 2 | 3 of 4 | 9 of 23 | 8 of 8 | 4 of 4 |
| Austin Vanderford | 5 of 16 | 31% | 4 of 14 | 0 of 1 | 1 of 1 | 4 of 15 | 0 of 0 | 1 of 1 |
Significant Strikes Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ramiz Brahimaj | 4 of 13 | 30% | 2 of 8 | 0 of 2 | 2 of 3 | 4 of 13 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
| Austin Vanderford | 4 of 12 | 33% | 3 of 10 | 0 of 1 | 1 of 1 | 3 of 11 | 0 of 0 | 1 of 1 | |
| 2 | Ramiz Brahimaj | 17 of 22 | 77% | 16 of 21 | 0 of 0 | 1 of 1 | 5 of 10 | 8 of 8 | 4 of 4 |
| Austin Vanderford | 1 of 4 | 25% | 1 of 4 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 | 1 of 4 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
Expert Picks (6)
Angelo sees this as a grappler vs grappler matchup. He believes Austin Vanderford is the better wrestler, which is the key factor since both have similar jiu-jitsu and striking. He notes that Ramiz Brahimaj can get stuck on his back and that his jiu-jitsu off his back is not as good as on top. He expects Vanderford to get takedowns and control the fight, but is not very confident in a finish.
Big Brady acknowledges that Ramiz Brahimaj is live in the first round, as he typically wins early. However, he believes Vanderford can survive the early storm, extend the fight, and mix in takedowns as the fight goes on. He notes that Brahimaj has slowed down in longer fights and that Vanderford is a good grappler. He predicts Vanderford by decision.
Connor picks Brahimaj hesitantly, noting that while both fighters are similar, Brahimaj will bring an aggressive fight and is more likely to push the pace. He acknowledges that Vanderford is vulnerable and that Brahimaj has power, but admits there is not much to separate them.
The host believes Vanderford will utilize his grappling excellence to stay out of Brahimaj's submission danger and eventually secure a second or third round TKO finish.
The MMA Guru picks Austin Vanderford, believing his size, wrestling, and durability will be too much for Ramiz Brahimaj. He notes Brahimaj's inconsistency and poor performances against solid competition, while Vanderford has shown grit and improving grappling. He predicts a decision win for Vanderford.
Zane picks Vanderford hesitantly, noting that both fighters are similar: good grapplers but not slick strikers. He gives Vanderford the edge because he can lay on opponents better and is more likely to control the fight, though he is also more likely to get knocked out when he screws up. Zane admits it's a coin flip.
Totals
| Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Austin Vanderford | 0 | 5 of 19 | 26% | 21 of 36 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
| Nikolay Veretennikov | 0 | 39 of 52 | 75% | 102 of 121 | 2 of 4 | 50% | 1 | 0 | 7:21 |
Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Austin Vanderford | 0 | 3 of 13 | 23% | 12 of 23 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
| Nikolay Veretennikov | 0 | 8 of 11 | 72% | 56 of 62 | 1 of 1 | 100% | 1 | 0 | 3:56 | |
| 2 | Austin Vanderford | 0 | 2 of 6 | 33% | 9 of 13 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
| Nikolay Veretennikov | 0 | 31 of 41 | 75% | 46 of 59 | 1 of 3 | 33% | 0 | 0 | 3:25 |
Significant Strikes
| Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Austin Vanderford | 5 of 19 | 26% | 0 of 12 | 3 of 5 | 2 of 2 | 5 of 19 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
| Nikolay Veretennikov | 39 of 52 | 75% | 37 of 50 | 1 of 1 | 1 of 1 | 3 of 8 | 0 of 0 | 36 of 44 |
Significant Strikes Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Austin Vanderford | 3 of 13 | 23% | 0 of 8 | 2 of 4 | 1 of 1 | 3 of 13 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
| Nikolay Veretennikov | 8 of 11 | 72% | 7 of 10 | 0 of 0 | 1 of 1 | 2 of 5 | 0 of 0 | 6 of 6 | |
| 2 | Austin Vanderford | 2 of 6 | 33% | 0 of 4 | 1 of 1 | 1 of 1 | 2 of 6 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
| Nikolay Veretennikov | 31 of 41 | 75% | 30 of 40 | 1 of 1 | 0 of 0 | 1 of 3 | 0 of 0 | 30 of 38 |
Play-by-Play
View on SherdogRound 1
On late notice, Vanderford (12-2, 0-0 UFC), famously known as the husband of Paige VanZant, will be making his organizational debut. Due to short training camp, this fight will be contested at a pre-arranged 175-pound catchweight. He faces fellow LFA vet Veretennikov (12-5, 0-1 UFC), whose 83% finish rate is nothing to sneeze at. Before chins are tested, the fighters touch ‘em up while referee Kevin MacDonald watches on. Vanderford moves to the center of the cage with the crowd loudly on his side, but the first strikes come from his opponent in the form of a jab and a low kick. They lean in and out looking for strikes, and Veretennikov leaps forward suddenly with a Superman punch that misses by a matter of inches. Veretennikov lunges again, catching Vanderford with a left up top and a right to the ribs. When he loads up on more strikes, Vanderford scoops his man up and deposits him gingerly to the mat. In his foe’s guard, Vanderford nevertheless starts opening up with strikes, grinding with elbows on the jaw and staying tight to not let Veretennikov buck or force a scramble. The strikes from above shred open a cut on the top of the Kazakhstan native’s forehead, and Vanderford targets that wound with additional sporadic strikes. Vanderford attacks with more elbows, causing more blood to flow from the gash. The activity of the newcomer is enough to stave off referee intervention, and he shifts gears to lock up an arm-triangle choke from across the body. The submission is on the wrong side, and Veretennikov does not panic and protects himself from it effectively. This excites Vanderford, who wants to wrap up the submission after all. Jumping into full mount, Vanderford squeezes with all his might for the arm-triangle choke, and he does not get the tap he is seeking even after shifting over to side control. Instead of burning his arms out, Vanderford lets it go and moves back to mount, where he rides out the round landing strikes.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Vanderford
Devin Tejada scores the round: 10-9 Vanderford
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Vanderford
Round 2
The fighters clap hands to get going, with the crowd already at Vanderford’s back with “USA” chants. Veretennikov walks his foe down with long jabbing kicks, hoping to utilize his range and not let Vanderford get his hands on him. Vanderford slings a head kick and is dinged with a reaching strike, but he allows Veretennikov to overswing so he can wrap him up. Vanderford clasps his hands from behind, searching for a level change and lifting Veretennikov off his feet with a double-leg takedown. Veretennikov’s long legs keep him upright for the time being, but the second attempt puts him on his back. Vanderford is quick to open up with elbows as he has Veretennikov jammed up in the awkward spot between the floor and the corner of the cage wall. Vanderford’s elbows split the guard and give Veretennikov something nasty to think about, and he sees that he can land his left hand at will and does just that repeatedly. The open guard where Veretennikov is keeping his foe is not slowing him one iota, and Vanderford elects to step over to half guard while clinging to Veretennikov’s wrist to nullify him. Vanderford slugs away with a long series of left hands, and Veretennikov is moving and swaying while blocking his face but still taking damage.
MacDonald watches on asking for Veretennikov to fight back, and Vanderford keeps punching. As the dozens of strikes mount, MacDonald determines that Veretennikov is no longer intelligently defending himself and stops the fight.
Veretennikov is incensed at the referee intervention, shouting at MacDonald and his opponent. Veretennikov gets to his feet, marches over to Vanderford and angrily shoves him after the fight has been stopped, and a UFC security staff member leaps in to prevent any further nonsense. Vanderford presents the double bird before getting the microphone, where he is all smiles and shouts out his wife, who will be getting slapped soon. Meanwhile, this may be the last we see of Veretennikov in the Octagon, although the promotion has allowed a blatant eye gouger in Priscila Cachoeira to keep fighting so anything is possible.
The Official Result
Austin Vanderford def. Nikolay Veretennikov R2 4:13 via TKO (Punches)
Expert Picks (2)
The host acknowledges Vanderford is on short notice and three years removed from a title fight loss, but believes his wrestling and power striking will keep Veretennikov on the defensive. He expects a dirty, ugly fight with Vanderford winning on the scorecards.
The Guru picks Veretennikov by TKO early, citing a skill difference in setting up strikes. He notes Vanderford is known as Paige VanZant's boyfriend, lost to Mousasi, and seems 'chiny'. He rates Veretennikov's losses (to Danny Barlow, Michael Morales) higher than Vanderford's wins, and expects a first or second round finish.
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