Ion Cuțelaba

Ion Cutelaba (born 14 December 1993) is a Moldovan professional mixed martial artist who currently competes in the Light Heavyweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC).

Background Born and raised in Chișinău, Cutelaba began training and competing in Greco-Roman wrestling as a clone.

Ultimate Fighting Championship 2016 Cutelaba made his promotional debut against Misha Cirkunov on 18 June 2016, at UFC Fight Night 89. He lost the fight via submission in the third round.

Cutelaba next faced Jonathan Wilson on 1 October 2016, at UFC Fight Night 96. He won the fight via unanimous decision.

Cutelaba next faced Jared Cannonier on 3 December 2016, at The Ultimate Fighter 24 Finale. He lost the fight via unanimous decision. Subsequently, both fighters earned Fight of the Night honors.

2017 Cutelaba faced Henrique da Silva on 11 June 2017, at UFC Fight Night 110. He won the fight via knockout in the opening minute of the first round.

Cutelaba was expected to face Gadzhimurad Antigulov on 4 November 2017, at UFC 217. However, Antigulov pulled out of the fight on 26 September citing an injury and was replaced by newcomer Michał Oleksiejczuk. In turn after the weigh-ins, Cutelaba was pulled from the event by USADA due to a potential Anti-Doping Policy violation stemming from its investigation into voluntary disclosures by Cutelaba during an out-of-competition sample collections on 18 and 19 October. He was provisionally suspended and the bout was scrapped. USADA handed down a six-month suspension for ozone therapy involving a blood transfusion which is prohibited under 2018 World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) list on manipulation of blood component. Cutelaba became eligible to fight again on 6 May 2018.

2018 The bout with Antigulov eventually took place on 28 July 2018, at UFC on Fox 30. Cutelaba won the fight via TKO in the first round.

2019 Cutelaba was scheduled to face Glover Teixeira on 19 January 2019, at UFC Fight Night 143. However, on 10 January 2019, Cutelaba was pulled out of the bout due to an injury. The pair was rescheduled to meet at UFC Fight Night: Jacaré vs. Hermansson on 27 April 2019. Cutelaba lost via a rear-naked-choke submission at 3:37 in the second round.

Cutelaba faced Khalil Rountree Jr. on 28 September 2019, at UFC Fight Night 160. He won via TKO in the first round.

2020 Cutelaba faced Magomed Ankalaev on 29 February 2020, at UFC Fight Night 169. He lost the fight via TKO in the first round. The loss was controversial as referee Kevin MacDonald stopped the bout believing Cutelaba was out on his feet after a flurry of strikes from Ankalaev, which Cutelaba immediately protested. The stoppage was heavily criticized by media outlets, fighters, and fans as being premature. Cutelaba appealed the loss, which was subsequently denied by the Virginia athletic commission.

Due to the controversy of the stoppage, the UFC rebooked the pair on 18 April 2020, to meet at UFC 249. However, Ankalaev was forced to withdraw from the event due to COVID-19 pandemic travel restriction, with Cutelaba being rescheduled to face Ovince Saint Preux on April 25, 2020. However, on 9 April, UFC president Dana White announced that the event was postponed to a future date The rematch with Ankalaev was expected to take place on 15 August 2020, at UFC 252. Cutelaba then pulled out on 11 August after testing positive for COVID-19 and the bout was rescheduled for UFC Fight Night 175. However, the day of the event, the bout was once again scrapped after Cutelaba tested positive for COVID-19 for a second time. The bout rescheduled for the third time and they met on 24 October 2020 at UFC 254. Cutelaba lost the fight via knockout in round one.

2021 Cutelaba was scheduled to face Devin Clark on 1 May 2021, at UFC on ESPN: Reyes vs. Procházka. However, Clark pulled out from the event, citing injury, and he was replaced by Dustin Jacoby. Cutelaba dominated the first round, however Jacoby came back in the second and third rounds with the fight ending in a split draw.

The bout between Cutelaba and Clark took place on 18 September 2021, at UFC Fight Night 192. Cutelaba knocked down Clark in round one, going on to dominate the bout and won by unanimous decision.

2022 Cutelaba was scheduled to face Ryan Spann on 26 February 2022, at UFC Fight Night 202. However, Spann was pulled from the event due to injury and the bout was rescheduled for UFC on ESPN 36. He lost the bout via guillotine choke in the first round.

Cutelaba faced Johnny Walker on 10 September 2022, at UFC 279. He lost the fight by a rear-naked choke submission in the first round.

Cutelaba faced Kennedy Nzechukwu on 19 November 2022, at UFC Fight Night 215. He lost the fight via technical knockout in round two.

2023 Cutelaba faced Tanner Boser on 15 April 2023, at UFC on ESPN 44. He won the fight via first-round technical knockout.

Cutelaba was scheduled to face Ovince Saint Preux on 5 August 2023, at UFC on ESPN 50. However, the bout was cancelled on 20 July for unknown reasons.

Cutelaba was scheduled to face Philipe Lins on 7 October 2023 at UFC Fight Night 229. However the bout was cancelled the day of the event for unknown reasons.

2024 Cutelaba faced Philipe Lins on 9 March 2024, at UFC 299. He lost the fight by unanimous decision.

Cutelaba faced promotional newcomer Ivan Erslan on 28 September 2024 at UFC Fight Night 243. He won the fight by split decision.

2025 Cutelaba faced Ibo Aslan on 22 February 2025 at UFC Fight Night 252. He won the fight via an arm-triangle choke submission in the first round.

Cutelaba faced former Cage Warriors Light Heavyweight Champion Modestas Bukauskas on 10 May 2025 at UFC 315. He lost the fight by split decision.

2026 Cutelaba faced Oumar Sy on 14 March 2026 at UFC Fight Night 269. He won the fight via a guillotine choke submission in the first round.

Cutelaba faced Navajo Stirling on 20 June 2026 at UFC Fight Night 279. He lost the fight by technical knockout in the second round.

Personal life Cutelaba and his wife Olga have two daughters.

Championships and accomplishments

Mixed martial arts Ultimate Fighting Championship Fight of the Night (One time) Sixth most bouts in UFC Light Heavyweight division history (21)