The history between Alex Pereira and Artem Vakhitov was on full display Tuesday during Dana White’s Contender Series 75.
Twice kickboxing rivals in GLORY, Pereira (12-2 MMA, 9-1 UFC) and Vakhitov (3-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC) could break the tie in MMA now that they’re both under the UFC umbrella.
Vakhitov earned a UFC contract Tuesday when he finished opponent Islem Masraf (3-1) with strikes in the first round. Pereira flew out to spectate the fight from cageside.
According to UFC CEO Dana White, his recommendation was also taken into account when deciding if the promotion would extend an offer to Vakhitov, which he did.
While there’s tremendous respect between the two former GLORY champions, there’s also an acknowledgment of their history and the potential they could meet again.
Check out their two kickboxing matches in full in the videos below.
Fight 1: Glory 77
Date: Jan. 30, 2021
Location: Rotterdam, Netherlands
Result: Alex Pereira def. Artem Vakhitov via split decision (scorecards not announced)
Fight 2: Glory 77
Date: Sept. 24, 2021
Location: Rotterdam, Netherlands
Result: Artem Vakhitov def. Alex Pereira via majority decision (48-46, 46-48, 47-47, 48-46, 49-45)
