Ion Cutelaba

The Hulk

Moldova

Struggles continue in Miami
Light HeavyweightUFC
March 9, 2024
Cutelaba lost to Philipe Lins via unanimous decision (28-29, 28-29, 28-29) at UFC 299 on Saturday in Miami.
ANALYSIS
Entering as a -140 favorite, Cutelaba's training camp clearly didn't include defending leg kicks. He absorbed a whopping 14 of them in Round 1, leaving him hobbled the rest of the way. The first frame was also the only one in which you could make a case Cutelaba deserved to win. After that, Lins got his wrestling game going, and Ion had no answer. Now 30 years of age, Cutelaba is 1-4 in his past five fights dating back to May 2022. The UFC could easily choose to cut its losses here.
Read More News
Fight Log
Loading Fight Log...
More Fantasy News
Lins pulls out, fight scrapped
Light HeavyweightUFC
October 7, 2023
Cutelaba will no longer fight Philipe Lins at UFC Vegas 80 due to an unspecified medical issue, according to the UFC's official X.com page
ANALYSIS
The broadcast was actually delayed in hopes of salvaging the bout, but Lins was ultimately unable to make the walk due to the issue. Cutelaba was coming into this fight having lost three of his last four contests, but "The Hulk" is always entertaining in and outside of the cage, which will likely ensure that he will remain on the roster going forward.
Next bout scheduled
Light HeavyweightUFC
September 1, 2023
Cutelaba will match up against Philipe Lins at UFC Vegas 80 on Oct. 7, Marcel Dorff of Eurosport.nl reports.
ANALYSIS
Cutelaba, who most recently defeated Tanner Boser at UFC Kansas City in April, will face off against Phillipe Lins next. The 29-year-old fighter is 2-3 in his last five bouts.
Fight cancelled
Light HeavyweightUFC
July 20, 2023
Cutelaba's fight versus Ovince Saint Preux in a light heavyweight bout at UFC Nashville on Aug. 5 has been cancelled, Marcel Dorff of Eurosport.nl reports.
ANALYSIS
It is unclear why this bout has been canceled, but the two have been scheduled to fight for over three years now. It's possible that the fight could be postponed to a later date.
OSP fight scheduled
Light HeavyweightUFC
June 7, 2023
Cutelaba will fight Ovince Saint Preux in a light heavyweight bout at UFC Nashville on Aug. 5, according to Nolan King of USA Today.
ANALYSIS
COVID-19 postponed the first time Cutelaba and Saint Preux were supposed to fight three years ago. Though not against each other, both have fought multiple times since then. Cutelaba has a 2-4-1 record across seven fights since April 2020 and can build a winning streak should he defeat OSP in August.
Snaps three-fight losing streak
Light HeavyweightUFC
April 15, 2023
Cutelaba defeated Tanner Boser via TKO (punches) at 2:05 of Round 1 at UFC on ESPN 44 on Saturday in Kansas City.
ANALYSIS
Entering having lost three in a row, all via stoppage, this was undoubtedly a performance that saved Cutelaba's job. He crushed Boser with a sweeping right hand before forcing him to the mat and finishing him off. It was a truly flawless effort from a guy that needed an excellent performance in the worst way. Ion has ridiculous power, as we saw here, and is an excellent wrestler, so it's surprising he went on an extended losing streak. Cutelaba isn't a title contender or anything like that at 205 pounds, and his 6-8-1 UFC record is quite ugly, but he has value in a light heavyweight division that is deceptively thin.