# Ion Cuțelaba

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

## Background

Born and raised in Chișinău, Cuțelaba began training and competing in Greco-Roman wrestling as an adolescent. He additionally competed in Sambo and Judo, becoming a national champion in both. In 2012, representing Moldova, Cuțelaba finished first in the 90 kg category of the European Sambo Championships.

## Mixed martial arts career
### Early career

Cuțelaba made his professional debut in April 2012, competing primarily for regional promotions across Eastern Europe. He amassed a record of 11-1 (1) before signing with the UFC in the spring of 2016.

### Ultimate Fighting Championship
#### 2016

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

Cuțelaba 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.
Cuțelaba 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, Cuțelaba was pulled from the event by USADA due to a potential Anti-Doping Policy violation stemming from its investigation into voluntary disclosures by Cuțelaba 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. Cuțelaba 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. Cuțelaba won the fight via TKO in the first round.

#### 2019

Cuțelaba was scheduled to face Glover Teixeira on 19 January 2019, at UFC Fight Night 143. However, on 10 January 2019, Cuțelaba 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. Cuțelaba lost via a rear-naked-choke submission at 3:37 in the second round.
Cuțelaba faced Khalil Rountree Jr. on 28 September 2019, at UFC Fight Night 160. He won via TKO in the first round.

#### 2020

Cuțelaba 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 Cuțelaba was out on his feet after a flurry of strikes from Ankalaev, which Cuțelaba immediately protested. The stoppage was heavily criticized by media outlets, fighters, and fans as being premature. Cuțelaba 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 Cuțelaba 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. Cuțelaba 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 Cuțelaba 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. Cuțelaba lost the fight via knockout in round one.

#### 2021

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

#### 2022

Cuțelaba 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.
Cuțelaba faced Johnny Walker on 10 September 2022, at UFC 279. He lost the fight by a rear-naked choke submission in the first round.
Cuțelaba faced Kennedy Nzechukwu on 19 November 2022, at UFC Fight Night 215. He lost the fight via technical knockout in round two.

#### 2023

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

Cuțelaba 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

Cuțelaba 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.
Cuțelaba is scheduled to face former Cage Warriors Light Heavyweight Champion Modestas Bukauskas on 10 May 2025 at UFC 315.

## Personal life

Cuțelaba and his wife Olga have two daughters.

## Championships and accomplishments
### Mixed martial arts

* Ultimate Fighting Championship
** Fight of the Night (One time) vs. Jared Cannonier

### Sambo

* European Combat Sambo Federation
** 2012 European Combat Sambo Championships (90 kg)

## Mixed martial arts record

Professional record breakdown :
| 31 matches | 19 wins | 10 losses |
| By knockout | 13 | 3 |
| By submission | 3 | 4 |
| By decision | 3 | 2 |
| By disqualification | 0 | 1 |
| Draws | 1 | 1 |
| No contests | 1 | 1 |
| Res. | Record | Opponent | Method | Event | Date | Round | Time | Location | Notes |
| Win | 19–10–1 (1) | İbo Aslan | Submission (arm-triangle choke) | UFC Fight Night: Cejudo vs. Song | 22 February 2025 | 1 | 2:51 | Seattle, Washington, United States | |
| Win | 18–10–1 (1) | Ivan Erslan | Decision (split) | UFC Fight Night: Moicano vs. Saint Denis | 28 September 2024 | 3 | 5:00 | Paris, France | |
| Loss | 17–10–1 (1) | Philipe Lins | Decision (unanimous) | UFC 299 | 9 March 2024 | 3 | 5:00 | Miami, Florida, United States | |
| Win | 17–9–1 (1) | Tanner Boser | TKO (punches) | UFC on ESPN: Holloway vs. Allen | 15 April 2023 | 1 | 2:05 | Kansas City, Missouri, United States | |
| Loss | 16–9–1 (1) | Kennedy Nzechukwu | TKO (flying knee and punches) | UFC Fight Night: Nzechukwu vs. Cuțelaba | 19 November 2022 | 2 | 1:02 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | |
| Loss | 16–8–1 (1) | Johnny Walker | Submission (rear-naked choke) | UFC 279 | 10 September 2022 | 1 | 4:37 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | |
| Loss | 16–7–1 (1) | Ryan Spann | Submission (guillotine choke) | UFC on ESPN: Błachowicz vs. Rakić | 14 May 2022 | 1 | 2:22 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | |
| Win | 16–6–1 (1) | Devin Clark | Decision (unanimous) | UFC Fight Night: Smith vs. Spann | 18 September 2021 | 3 | 5:00 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | |
| Draw | 15–6–1 (1) | Dustin Jacoby | Draw (split) | UFC on ESPN: Reyes vs. Procházka | 1 May 2021 | 3 | 5:00 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | |
| Loss | 15–6 (1) | Magomed Ankalaev | KO (punches) | UFC 254 | 24 October 2020 | 1 | 4:19 | Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates | |
| Loss | 15–5 (1) | Magomed Ankalaev | TKO (head kicks and punches) | UFC Fight Night: Benavidez vs. Figueiredo | 29 February 2020 | 1 | 0:38 | Norfolk, Virginia, United States | |
| Win | 15–4 (1) | Khalil Rountree Jr. | TKO (elbows) | UFC Fight Night: Hermansson vs. Cannonier | 28 September 2019 | 1 | 2:35 | Copenhagen, Denmark | |
| Loss | 14–4 (1) | Glover Teixeira | Submission (rear-naked choke) | UFC Fight Night: Jacaré vs. Hermansson | 27 April 2019 | 2 | 3:37 | Sunrise, Florida, United States | |
| Win | 14–3 (1) | Gadzhimurad Antigulov | TKO (punches and elbows) | UFC on Fox: Alvarez vs. Poirier 2 | 28 July 2018 | 1 | 4:25 | Calgary, Alberta, Canada | |
| Win | 13–3 (1) | Henrique da Silva | KO (punches) | UFC Fight Night: Lewis vs. Hunt | 11 June 2017 | 1 | 0:22 | Auckland, New Zealand | |
| Loss | 12–3 (1) | Jared Cannonier | Decision (unanimous) | The Ultimate Fighter: Tournament of Champions Finale | 3 December 2016 | 3 | 5:00 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | Fight of the Night. |
| Win | 12–2 (1) | Jonathan Wilson | Decision (unanimous) | UFC Fight Night: Lineker vs. Dodson | 1 October 2016 | 3 | 5:00 | Portland, Oregon, United States | |
| Loss | 11–2 (1) | Misha Cirkunov | Submission (arm-triangle choke) | UFC Fight Night: MacDonald vs. Thompson | 18 June 2016 | 3 | 1:22 | Ottawa, Ontario, Canada | Return to Light Heavyweight. |
| Win | 11–1 (1) | Malik Merad | KO (punch) | World Warriors FC: Cage Encounter 4 | 19 September 2015 | 1 | 0:08 | Paris, France | Catchweight (209 lb) bout. |
| Win | 10–1 (1) | Vitali Ontishchenko | Submission (omoplata) | World Warriors FC: Cage Encounter 3 | 4 April 2015 | 1 | 2:37 | Kyiv, Ukraine | |
| Win | 9–1 (1) | Yuri Gorbenko | TKO (punches) | World Warriors FC: Ukraine Selection 5 | 28 February 2015 | 1 | 1:10 | Kyiv, Ukraine | |
| Win | 8–1 (1) | Izidor Bunea | TKO (punches) | World Warriors FC: Cage Encounter 2 | 13 December 2014 | 1 | 1:13 | Chișinău, Moldova | |
| Win | 7–1 (1) | Alexandru Stoica | KO (punch) | World Warriors FC: Cage Encounter 1 | 14 June 2014 | 1 | 0:07 | Chișinău, Moldova | |
| Win | 6–1 (1) | Constantin Padure | KO (punch) | CSA FC: Adrenaline | 4 April 2014 | 1 | 1:05 | Chișinău, Moldova | |
| Win | 5–1 (1) | Igor Gorkun | KO (punch) | Grand European FC: Battle on the Gold Mountain | 21 December 2013 | 1 | 0:28 | Uzhhorod, Ukraine | |
| Loss | 4–1 (1) | Michał Andryszak | DQ (punches to back of head) | Cage Warriors 58 | 24 August 2013 | 1 | 4:07 | Grozny, Russia | |
| NC | 4–0 (1) | Murod Hanturaev | NC (referee error) | Alash Pride: Grand Prix 2013 | 7 July 2013 | 1 | 0:24 | Almaty, Kazakhstan | Originally a TKO (punches) win for Hanturaev; overturned due to a referee error. |
| Win | 4–0 | Anatoli Ciumac | TKO (punches) | ECSF: Battle of Bessarabia | 24 March 2013 | 2 | 0:29 | Chișinău, Moldova | |
| Win | 3–0 | Igor Kukurudziak | Submission (omoplata) | ECSF: Adrenaline | 14 December 2012 | 1 | 0:42 | Chișinău, Moldova | Heavyweight debut. |
| Win | 2–0 | Julian Chilikov | TKO (punches) | The Battle for Ruse | 22 June 2012 | 1 | 0:25 | Ruse, Bulgaria | |
| Win | 1–0 | Daglar Gasimov | TKO (punches) | CIS Cup 2012 | 5 April 2012 | 1 | 0:27 | Nizhny Novgorod, Russia | Light Heavyweight debut. |