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Austin Vanderford has finally secured his place in the UFC, stepping in on short notice for a 175-pound catchweight bout against Nikolay Veretennikov this Saturday at UFC Seattle. The event, held at Climate Pledge Arena, is headlined by an electrifying bantamweight showdown between Henry Cejudo and Song Yadong.
Vanderford first gained attention on Dana White’s Contender Series (DWCS) Season 2, where he impressed with a submission win. However, despite his victory, he was not awarded a contract. Instead, he built his career in Bellator MMA, working his way up to a middleweight title fight against Gegard Mousasi in 2022, which ended in a TKO loss.
Beyond his fighting skills, Vanderford is often recognized for his marriage to former UFC star Paige VanZant. The couple has actively campaigned for his chance in the UFC, and now, Vanderford finally has the opportunity to prove himself on the sport’s biggest stage.
Like Vanderford, Nikolay Veretennikov also competed on DWCS, appearing in Season 5 but losing to Michael Morales. He later signed with the UFC in 2023 and made his debut against Danny Barlow, suffering a split-decision loss.Both fighters enter UFC Seattle hungry for a breakthrough, making this an exciting matchup to watch.
Vanderford has waited years for this moment, and now, under the UFC spotlight, he must prove he belongs.Why should we hire you? – Just like a fighter stepping into the cage, Vanderford must answer this question with his performance, showing the UFC why he deserves to stay.