Artem Vakhitov recently won a fight on Dana White’s Contender Series, earning a contract with the UFC. This was significant because Vakhitov is the last person to beat Alex Pereira in kickboxing. During the event, Pereira watched Vakhitov’s fight and spoke with him afterward, showing mutual respect.
Dana White mentioned that Pereira played a key role in convincing him to sign Artem Vakhitov, praising his talent and expressing that the Contender Series is a high-pressure environment. Vakhitov, however, doesn’t think Pereira is the best striker, criticizing him for relying on a single powerful punch.
Artem Vakhitov Knockout on Dana White’s Contender Series
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Artem Vakhitov earns the first round TKO on #DWCS! pic.twitter.com/3KIX5i6jRJ
— UFC (@ufc) October 9, 2024
Artem Vakhitov, the last man to beat Alex Pereira in kickboxing, just got a UFC contract
Dana White says he gave him the contract because Alex Pereira said he deserves it
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) October 9, 2024
Alex Pereira is in attendance to watch his former kickboxing rival Artem Vakhitov fight for a UFC contract on #DWCS
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) October 9, 2024
Alex Pereira’s Rival Artem Vakhitov Signed to the UFC
Artem Vakhitov had a big win on Dana White’s Contender Series, which earned him a UFC contract. He knocked out Islem Masraf during the fight. Vakhitov is known for being a two-time champion in kickboxing and is the last person to defeat Alex Pereira in that sport.
Pereira watched Vakhitov’s fight live and even talked to him afterward. They seemed to have a good relationship. Vakhitov congratulated Pereira and expressed his hope that they might face each other again in the UFC, saying there’s “nothing but respect” between them.
The Russian-born striker told ‘Poatan’
“I’m very happy to see you winning. I love what’s happening with you right now. So keep winning. I’ll be watching. I’ll be focused on myself, and hopefully after a few more defenses it will happen that we meet each other again [in the Octagon]. Nothing but respect. All love, and it’s just sports, that’s all it is.”
Dana White, the UFC president, confirmed that Pereira helped persuade him to sign Vakhitov. White noted he was impressed by Vakhitov’s skills, although he was surprised by his grappling during the fight. He also mentioned that Pereira acknowledged the pressure of competing in the Contender Series, stating that he was glad he never had to go through it himself. The Brazilian world champion said:
“That’s why I’m so late. I’ve been back there talking to Alex this whole time. He said, ‘Obviously, a little more clinching than you would expect.’ You would expect the other guy to clinch with him, not him clinching. But he said, ‘This is what I think. I think he’s talented enough. I think he deserves to be here. He’s had, obviously, a ton of fights in his career.’ Which is what I thought too going in.”
Vakhitov, despite their past battles, has a low opinion of Pereira’s striking ability. He believes that just having a strong punch doesn’t make someone a great striker, suggesting that real strikers should have diverse techniques and combinations.