• Light Heavyweight
  • Moldova

« The Hulk »

Ion Cuțelaba Record, stats and next fight

20-11-1 (W-L-D) · 1 NC

13Wins by knockout
4Wins by submission
16First round finishes
No free-licence photo available for Ion Cuțelaba

Stats and record

33Pro fights
85%Finish rate
21UFC fights
0Title fights
1Performance bonuses
1Losing streak

Wins by method

KO / TKO13 (65 %)
Submission4 (20 %)
Decision3 (15 %)

Losses by method

KO / TKO3 (27 %)
Submission4 (36 %)
Decision3 (27 %)

Profile

Age
32 years
Born
December 14, 1993
Birthplace
Chișinău, Moldova
Height
6'1" (185 cm)
Weight
205 lbs (93 kg)
Reach
75" (191 cm)
Stance
Orthodox
Division
Light Heavyweight
Fighting out of
Chișinău, Moldova
Team
Timoshkov Sport Club CSA Moldova MMA Factory
UFC debut
June 18, 2016

Fight history

  1. Loss

    vs Navajo Stirling

    UFC Fight Night: Kape vs. Horiguchi · Jun 20, 2026 · Las Vegas, Nevada, United States

    Method
    TKO (punches and elbows)
    Round
    2
    Time
    3:23
  2. Win

    vs Oumar Sy

    UFC Fight Night: Emmett vs. Vallejos · Mar 14, 2026 · Las Vegas, Nevada, United States

    Method
    Submission (guillotine choke)
    Round
    1
    Time
    4:24
  3. Loss

    vs Modestas Bukauskas

    UFC 315 · May 10, 2025 · Montreal, Quebec, Canada

    Method
    Decision (split)
    Round
    3
    Time
    5:00
  4. Win

    vs İbo Aslan

    UFC Fight Night: Cejudo vs. Song · Feb 22, 2025 · Seattle, Washington, United States

    Method
    Submission (arm-triangle choke)
    Round
    1
    Time
    2:51
  5. Win

    vs Ivan Erslan

    UFC Fight Night: Moicano vs. Saint Denis · Sep 28, 2024 · Paris, France

    Method
    Decision (split)
    Round
    3
    Time
    5:00
  6. Loss

    vs Philipe Lins

    UFC 299 · Mar 9, 2024 · Miami, Florida, United States

    Method
    Decision (unanimous)
    Round
    3
    Time
    5:00
  7. Win

    vs Tanner Boser

    UFC on ESPN: Holloway vs. Allen · Apr 15, 2023 · Kansas City, Missouri, United States

    Method
    TKO (punches)
    Round
    1
    Time
    2:05
  8. Loss

    vs Kennedy Nzechukwu

    UFC Fight Night: Nzechukwu vs. Cuțelaba · Nov 19, 2022 · Las Vegas, Nevada, United States

    Method
    TKO (flying knee and punches)
    Round
    2
    Time
    1:02
Show 26 earlier fights
  1. Loss

    vs Johnny Walker

    UFC 279 · Sep 10, 2022 · Las Vegas, Nevada, United States

    Method
    Submission (rear-naked choke)
    Round
    1
    Time
    4:37
  2. Loss

    vs Ryan Spann

    UFC on ESPN: Błachowicz vs. Rakić · May 14, 2022 · Las Vegas, Nevada, United States

    Method
    Submission (guillotine choke)
    Round
    1
    Time
    2:22
  3. Win

    vs Devin Clark

    UFC Fight Night: Smith vs. Spann · Sep 18, 2021 · Las Vegas, Nevada, United States

    Method
    Decision (unanimous)
    Round
    3
    Time
    5:00
  4. Draw

    vs Dustin Jacoby

    UFC on ESPN: Reyes vs. Procházka · May 1, 2021 · Las Vegas, Nevada, United States

    Method
    Draw (split)
    Round
    3
    Time
    5:00
  5. Loss

    vs Magomed Ankalaev

    UFC 254 · Oct 24, 2020 · Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

    Method
    KO (punches)
    Round
    1
    Time
    4:19
  6. Loss

    vs Magomed Ankalaev

    UFC Fight Night: Benavidez vs. Figueiredo · Feb 29, 2020 · Norfolk, Virginia, United States

    Method
    TKO (head kicks and punches)
    Round
    1
    Time
    0:38
  7. Win

    vs Khalil Rountree Jr.

    UFC Fight Night: Hermansson vs. Cannonier · Sep 28, 2019 · Copenhagen, Denmark

    Method
    TKO (elbows)
    Round
    1
    Time
    2:35
  8. Loss

    vs Glover Teixeira

    UFC Fight Night: Jacaré vs. Hermansson · Apr 27, 2019 · Sunrise, Florida, United States

    Method
    Submission (rear-naked choke)
    Round
    2
    Time
    3:37
  9. Win

    vs Gadzhimurad Antigulov

    UFC on Fox: Alvarez vs. Poirier 2 · Jul 28, 2018 · Calgary, Alberta, Canada

    Method
    TKO (punches and elbows)
    Round
    1
    Time
    4:25
  10. Win

    vs Henrique da Silva

    UFC Fight Night: Lewis vs. Hunt · Jun 11, 2017 · Auckland, New Zealand

    Method
    KO (punches)
    Round
    1
    Time
    0:22
  11. Loss

    vs Jared Cannonier Bonus

    The Ultimate Fighter: Tournament of Champions Finale · Dec 3, 2016 · Las Vegas, Nevada, United States

    Method
    Decision (unanimous)
    Round
    3
    Time
    5:00
  12. Win

    vs Jonathan Wilson

    UFC Fight Night: Lineker vs. Dodson · Oct 1, 2016 · Portland, Oregon, United States

    Method
    Decision (unanimous)
    Round
    3
    Time
    5:00
  13. Loss

    vs Misha Cirkunov

    UFC Fight Night: MacDonald vs. Thompson · Jun 18, 2016 · Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

    Method
    Submission (arm-triangle choke)
    Round
    3
    Time
    1:22
  14. Win

    vs Malik Merad

    World Warriors FC: Cage Encounter 4 · Sep 19, 2015 · Paris, France

    Method
    KO (punch)
    Round
    1
    Time
    0:08
  15. Win

    vs Vitali Ontishchenko

    World Warriors FC: Cage Encounter 3 · Apr 4, 2015 · Kyiv, Ukraine

    Method
    Submission (omoplata)
    Round
    1
    Time
    2:37
  16. Win

    vs Yuri Gorbenko

    World Warriors FC: Ukraine Selection 5 · Feb 28, 2015 · Kyiv, Ukraine

    Method
    TKO (punches)
    Round
    1
    Time
    1:10
  17. Win

    vs Izidor Bunea

    World Warriors FC: Cage Encounter 2 · Dec 13, 2014 · Chișinău, Moldova

    Method
    TKO (punches)
    Round
    1
    Time
    1:13
  18. Win

    vs Alexandru Stoica

    World Warriors FC: Cage Encounter 1 · Jun 14, 2014 · Chișinău, Moldova

    Method
    KO (punch)
    Round
    1
    Time
    0:07
  19. Win

    vs Constantin Padure

    Combat Sambo Federation of Moldova: Adrenaline · Apr 4, 2014 · Chișinău, Moldova

    Method
    KO (punch)
    Round
    1
    Time
    1:05
  20. Win

    vs Igor Gorkun

    Grand European FC: Battle on the Gold Mountain · Dec 21, 2013 · Uzhhorod, Ukraine

    Method
    KO (punch)
    Round
    1
    Time
    0:28
  21. Loss

    vs Michał Andryszak

    Cage Warriors 58 · Aug 24, 2013 · Grozny, Russia

    Method
    DQ (punches to back of head)
    Round
    1
    Time
    4:07
  22. No contest

    vs Murod Hanturaev

    Alash Pride: Grand Prix 2013 · Jul 7, 2013 · Almaty, Kazakhstan

    Method
    NC (referee error)
    Round
    1
    Time
    0:24
  23. Win

    vs Anatoli Ciumac

    European Combat Sambo Federation: Battle of Bessarabia · Mar 24, 2013 · Chișinău, Moldova

    Method
    TKO (punches)
    Round
    2
    Time
    0:29
  24. Win

    vs Igor Kukurudziak

    European Combat Sambo Federation: Adrenaline · Dec 14, 2012 · Chișinău, Moldova

    Method
    Submission (omoplata)
    Round
    1
    Time
    0:42
  25. Win

    vs Julian Chilikov

    The Battle for Ruse · Jun 22, 2012 · Ruse, Bulgaria

    Method
    TKO (punches)
    Round
    1
    Time
    0:25
  26. Win

    vs Daglar Gasimov

    CIS Pankration Cup 2012 · Apr 5, 2012 · Nizhny Novgorod, Russia

    Method
    TKO (punches)
    Round
    1
    Time
    0:27

Analysis

Signed to the UFC at light heavyweight, Ion Cuțelaba fights under the nickname “The Hulk” and hails from Moldova.

His professional record stands at 20 wins, 11 losses, 1 draw and 1 no contest. Of those wins, 13 came by KO or TKO, 4 by submission and 3 on the scorecards, a 85% finish rate.

He made his promotional debut on June 18, 2016 at UFC Fight Night: MacDonald vs. Thompson against Misha Cirkunov (loss). He has since gone 9-11 in 21 UFC bouts.

In his most recent fight, on June 20, 2026 at UFC Fight Night: Kape vs. Horiguchi, he lost to Navajo Stirling by TKO (punches and elbows) in the second round.

His career includes 1 performance bonus.

He stands 185 cm, has a 191 cm reach and fights out of an orthodox stance.

He trains at Timoshkov Sport Club CSA Moldova MMA Factory out of Chișinău, Moldova.

Data updated on September 28, 2026. Record and measurements cross-checked against official results and Wikipedia. Text written by the MMA Official editorial team.

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