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FightersUFC Light Heavyweight

Ion Cuțelaba

"The Hulk"
20-12-1★ 1bonusMoldovaMoldovaLast 5

Last fight: Loss vs Navajo Stirling · TKO · Jun 20, 2026

20-12-1 · 17 finishes · Full stats →
NEXT FIGHT
vs Magomed Tuchalov
UFCUFC Fight Night: Adesanya vs Magomedov·
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CAREER SUMMARY

Ion Cuțelaba holds a professional MMA record of 20-12-1. Cuțelaba has won 20 fights: 13 by KO/TKO, 4 by submission, 3 by decision. Of 12 career losses, 4 came by KO/TKO and 4 by submission. In the UFC, Cuțelaba lands 4.13 significant strikes per minute with 44% accuracy and averages 4.02 takedowns per 15 minutes. Most recent fight: June 20, 2026. Tracked organizations: UFC.

Profile

Height
6'1"185 cm
Weight
205 lbs93 kg
Reach
75"191 cm
Stance
Southpaw
DOB
Dec 14, 1993
Age
32
Nationality
Moldova
Birthplace
Chișinău, Moldova

Upcoming

  1. UFCUFC Fight Night: Adesanya vs Magomedov
    vs Magomed TuchalovLight Heavyweight

Career history

  1. LOSS
    vs Navajo Stirling
    UFC Fight Night: Kape vs Horiguchi· Jun 20, 2026· Light Heavyweight· 20-12-1 vs 10-0
    TKO
    R2 · 3:23
  2. WIN
    vs Oumar Sy
    UFC Fight Night: Emmett vs Vallejos· Mar 14, 2026· Light Heavyweight· 20-11-1 vs 12-2
    SUB
    R1 · 4:24
  3. LOSS
    vs Modestas Bukauskas
    UFC 315: Muhammad vs Della Maddalena· May 10, 2025· Light Heavyweight· 19-11-1 vs 18-6
    SD
    R3 · 5:00
  4. WIN
    vs Ibo Aslan
    UFC Seattle: Cejudo vs Song· Feb 22, 2025· Light Heavyweight· 19-10-1 vs 14-2
    SUB
    R1 · 2:51
  5. WIN
    vs Ivan Erslan
    UFC Paris: Moicano vs Saint Denis· Sep 28, 2024· Light Heavyweight· 18-10-1 vs 14-4
    SD
    R3 · 5:00
  6. LOSS
    vs Philipe Lins
    UFC 299: O'Malley vs Vera 2· Mar 9, 2024· Light Heavyweight· 17-10-1 vs 18-5
    UD
    R3 · 5:00
  7. WIN
    vs Tanner Boser
    UFC Fight Night: Holloway vs Allen· Apr 15, 2023· Light Heavyweight· 17-9-1 vs 20-10-1
    TKO
    R1 · 2:05
  8. LOSS
    vs Kennedy Nzechukwu
    UFC Fight Night: Lewis vs Spivac· Nov 19, 2022· Light Heavyweight· 16-9-1 vs 11-3
    TKO
    R2 · 1:02
  9. LOSS
    vs Johnny Walker
    UFC 279: Diaz vs Ferguson· Sep 10, 2022· Light Heavyweight· 16-8-1 vs 19-7
    SUB
    R1 · 4:37
  10. LOSS
    vs Ryan Spann
    UFC Fight Night: Błachowicz vs Rakić· May 14, 2022· Light Heavyweight· 16-7-1 vs 20-7
    SUB
    R1 · 2:22
  11. WIN
    vs Devin Clark
    UFC Fight Night: Smith vs Spann· Sep 18, 2021· Light Heavyweight· 16-6-1 vs 12-6
    UD
    R3 · 5:00
  12. DRAW
    vs Dustin Jacoby
    UFC Fight Night: Reyes vs Prochazka· May 1, 2021· Light Heavyweight· 15-6-1 vs 14-5-1
    DRAW
    R3 · 5:00
  13. LOSS
    vs Magomed Ankalaev
    UFC 254: Khabib vs Gaethje· Oct 24, 2020· Light Heavyweight· 15-6 vs 14-1
    TKO
    R1 · 4:19
  14. LOSS
    vs Magomed Ankalaev
    UFC Fight Night: Benavidez vs Figueiredo· Feb 29, 2020· Light Heavyweight· 15-5 vs 13-1
    TKO
    R1 · 0:38
  15. WIN
    vs Khalil Rountree Jr.
    UFC Fight Night: Hermansson vs Cannonier· Sep 28, 2019· Light Heavyweight· 15-4 vs 8-4
    TKO
    R1 · 2:35
  16. LOSS
    vs Glover Teixeira
    UFC Fight Night: Jacare vs Hermansson· Apr 27, 2019· Light Heavyweight· 14-4 vs 29-7
    SUB
    R2 · 3:37
  17. WIN
    vs Gadzhimurad Antigulov
    UFC Fight Night: Alvarez vs Poirier 2· Jul 28, 2018· Light Heavyweight· 14-3 vs 20-5
    TKO
    R1 · 4:25
  18. WIN
    vs Henrique da Silva
    UFC Fight Night: Lewis vs Hunt· Jun 11, 2017· Light Heavyweight· 13-3 vs 12-3
    TKO
    R1 · 0:22
  19. LOSS
    vs Jared Cannonier
    UFC Fight Night: A Tournament of Champions· Dec 3, 2016· Light Heavyweight· 12-3 vs 9-1
    UD
    R3 · 5:00
    FOTN
  20. WIN
    vs Jonathan Wilson
    UFC Fight Night: Lineker vs Dodson· Oct 1, 2016· Light Heavyweight· 12-2 vs 7-2
    UD
    R3 · 5:00
  21. LOSS
    vs Misha Cirkunov
    UFC Fight Night: MacDonald vs Thompson· Jun 18, 2016· Light Heavyweight· 11-2 vs 12-2
    SUB
    R3 · 1:22
  22. WIN
    vs Malik Merad
    WWFC: Cage Encounter 4· Sep 19, 2015· Catchweight· 11-1 vs 19-15
    TKO
    R1 · 0:08
  23. WIN
    vs Vitali Onishchenko
    WWFC: Cage Encounter 3· Apr 4, 2015· Heavyweight· 10-1 vs 2-2
    SUB
    R1 · 2:37
  24. WIN
    vs Yuri Gorbenko
    WWFC: Ukraine Selection 6· Feb 28, 2015· Heavyweight· 9-1 vs 11-23
    TKO
    R1 · 1:10
  25. WIN
    vs Izidor Bunea
    WWFC: Cage Encounter 2· Dec 13, 2014· Heavyweight· 8-1 vs 1-6
    TKO
    R1 · 1:13
  26. WIN
    vs Alexander Stoica
    WWFC 1: Cage Encounter 1· Jun 14, 2014· Heavyweight· 7-1 vs 0-1
    TKO
    R1 · 0:07
  27. WIN
    vs Constantin Padure
    European Combat Sambo Federation· Apr 4, 2014· 6-1 vs 0-1
    TKO
  28. WIN
    vs Igor Gorkun
    Grand European Fighting Championship· Dec 21, 2013· 5-1 vs 0-1
    TKO
  29. LOSS
    vs Michal Andryszak
    Cage Warriors 58· Aug 24, 2013· Heavyweight· 4-1 vs 10-3
    DQ
    R1 · 4:07
  30. NC
    vs Murod Khanturaev
    Alash Pride FC· Jul 7, 2013· Heavyweight· 4-0 vs 0-0
    NC
    R1 · 0:24
  31. WIN
    vs Anatoli Ciumac
    Grand European Fighting Championship· Mar 24, 2013· 4-0 vs 1-5
    TKO
  32. WIN
    vs Igor Kukurudziak
    ECSF: Adrenaline· Dec 14, 2012· Heavyweight· 3-0 vs 6-8
    SUB
    R1 · 0:42
  33. WIN
    vs Julian Chilikov
    Bulgaria Regional· Jun 22, 2012· 2-0 vs 4-3
    TKO
  34. WIN
    vs Daglar Gasimov
    CIS Cup 2012· Apr 6, 2012· Light Heavyweight· 1-0 vs 0-1
    TKO
    R1 · 0:27

Background

Credentials, amateur pedigree and camp

BaseCombat SamboGreco-Roman WrestlingJudo
  • 2012Champion · European Championships · 90 kg Catchweight
  • AGE 18Started in MMA
  • Champion · Moldovan Nationals
  • Champion · Moldovan Nationals
  • Purple belt · BJJ
  • Moldova national team · Combat Sambo · 2012
  • Started in Greco-Roman Wrestling

Camp

  • CSA Team Moldova · Chișinău, Moldova
  • Timoshkov Sport Club · Chișinău, Moldova
  • CSA-Combat Prim · Chișinău, Moldova
  • unnamed Las Vegas camp · Las Vegas, United States
  • Xtreme Couture
  • MMA Factory · Paris, France Former

Fight DNA

Grappling Specialist

UFCalendar's style model · Light Heavyweight roster (213 fighters)

PowerSpeedPrecisionDurabilityEngineWrestlingGround
Punch power60
Kick power59
Punch speed58
Kick speed56
Accuracy56
Takedowns97
Ground striking96
Submissions90
Chin70
Body strength77
Cardio71

Attributes are rated 0-100 by UFCalendar's style model.

By the numbers

Pro MMARecord: 20-12-1 · Source: UFCalendar
Striking
Strikes landed4.13per min
44% accuracy
Strikes absorbed3.42per min
46% avoided
Grappling
Takedowns landed4.02per 15 min
51% success
Takedowns stuffed76%
Submission attempts0.3per 15 min
UFC careerRecord: 9-11-1 · Source: UFCStats.com
Striking
Strikes landed4.13per min
44% accuracy
Strikes absorbed3.42per min
46% avoided
Grappling
Takedowns landed4.02per 15 min
51% success
Takedowns stuffed76%
Submission attempts0.3per 15 min
See every fight's numbers

Where they rank

All-time boards where Ion Cuțelaba sits in the top 25.

Bonus résumé

Ion Cuțelaba has won 1 UFC post-fight bonus. Estimated bonus earnings: $75,000.

★ Fight of the Night ×11 finish incentive (+$25,000)
  1. ★ FOTNvs Jared Cannonier · UFC Fight Night: A Tournament of ChampionsDec 3, 2016

Estimates use each era's real amount: $50,000 from 2012, $100,000 from UFC 324, plus $25,000 finish incentives.

All-time bonus leaders →

Related fighters

Recent & upcoming opponents

Salary & career earnings

Disclosed purses, reported paydays and what we estimate Ion Cuțelaba earns per fight.

Ion Cuțelaba's salary & career earnings →

Official UFC Ranking

Ion Cuțelaba's standing in the official UFC rankings, tracked since 2013.

Current
Unranked
Peak
#15 Light Heavyweight
First ranked
Oct 4, 2021
Times ranked
16

Light Heavyweight

#1#5#10#152022Oct 4, 2021 · #15Feb 28, 2022 · #15#15

View full UFC rankings →

UFCalendar Power Index rating

Current
1712▼12
Peak
1738Jul 28, 2018
Rated fights
33
15001600170020132016201920222025Apr 6, 2012 · 1541Jun 22, 2012 · 1579Dec 14, 2012 · 1609Mar 24, 2013 · 1628Aug 24, 2013 · 1587Dec 21, 2013 · 1618Apr 4, 2014 · 1634Jun 14, 2014 · 1650Dec 13, 2014 · 1658Feb 28, 2015 · 1670Apr 4, 2015 · 1687Sep 19, 2015 · 1703Jun 19, 2016 · 1673Oct 2, 2016 · 1695Dec 4, 2016 · 1672Jun 11, 2017 · 1699Jul 28, 2018 · 1738Apr 28, 2019 · 1716Sep 28, 2019 · 1730Mar 1, 2020 · 1717Oct 24, 2020 · 1706May 2, 2021 · 1705Sep 18, 2021 · 1716May 15, 2022 · 1702Sep 11, 2022 · 1689Nov 19, 2022 · 1674Apr 16, 2023 · 1693Mar 10, 2024 · 1682Sep 28, 2024 · 1688Feb 23, 2025 · 1708May 11, 2025 · 1702Mar 14, 2026 · 1724Jun 20, 2026 · 17121712

See the full Power Index →

Frequently asked questions

When does Ion Cuțelaba fight next?

Ion Cuțelaba fights Magomed Tuchalov on Saturday, December 5, 2026 at UFC Fight Night: Adesanya vs Magomedov.

What is Ion Cuțelaba's record?

Ion Cuțelaba's professional MMA record is 20-12-1.

Who is Ion Cuțelaba fighting next?

Ion Cuțelaba's next opponent is Magomed Tuchalov at UFC Fight Night: Adesanya vs Magomedov.

Who did Ion Cuțelaba fight last?

Ion Cuțelaba most recently fought Navajo Stirling at UFC Fight Night: Kape vs Horiguchi on Saturday, June 20, 2026, LOSS (TKO).

What weight class does Ion Cuțelaba fight in?

Ion Cuțelaba fights at Light Heavyweight.

How many knockouts does Ion Cuțelaba have?

Ion Cuțelaba has 13 wins by KO/TKO and 4 wins by submission.

How many UFC bonuses has Ion Cuțelaba won?

Ion Cuțelaba has won 1 UFC post-fight bonus: 1× Fight of the Night.

How tall is Ion Cuțelaba?

Ion Cuțelaba is 6'1" (185 cm) tall.

How much does Ion Cuțelaba weigh?

Ion Cuțelaba weighs 205 lbs (93 kg).

What is Ion Cuțelaba's reach?

Ion Cuțelaba has a reach of 75" (191 cm).

How old is Ion Cuțelaba?

Ion Cuțelaba is 32 years old (born Dec 14, 1993).

Where is Ion Cuțelaba from?

Ion Cuțelaba is from Moldova.

Get Ion Cuțelaba's fight history and stats as JSON with the MMA Fight Data API →