UFC News: Alex Pereira's Kickboxing Rival to Fight on Dana White's Contender Series

Another decorated kickboxer could earn a UFC contract in October.

(Zuffa LLC)

A former foe from UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Alex Pereira’s kickboxing days is reportedly set to fight for a UFC contract later this year.

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Following a decorated kickboxing career, Pereira joined the UFC with a 3-1 MMA record in 2021 and has managed to claim belts in two weight classes and become a major star after just nine total fights with the sport’s leading promotion.

Jun 29, 2024; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Alex Pereira (red gloves) fights Jiri Prochazka (blue gloves) during UFC 303 at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports / Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

The Brazilian’s rivalry with former UFC Middleweight Champion Israel Adesanya was a major factor in his fast track to a title shot and UFC stardom, and now according to MMA Propagande another one of Pereira’s former kickboxing rivals may soon join the promotion when Artem Vakhitov competes on Dana White’s Contender Series on October 8.

A former GLORY champion, Vakhitov lost the kickboxing promotion’s light heavyweight strap to Pereira via split decision before the Russian got revenge in their immediate rematch when he took a majority decision victory.

Vakhitov and Pereira met twice in the GLORY kickboxing ring. / (GLORY Kickboxing)

Those two fights turned out to be the last kickboxing bouts of Vakhitov and Pereira’s respective careers, and after picking up one Muay Thai win Vakhitov saw his MMA debut end in less than a minute due to injury before he scored a pair of first-round finishes earlier this year.

The 33-year-old’s Dana White's Contender Series fight will see him take on Islem Masraf, who also made his professional MMA debut last year at France’s ARES FC 15 and most recently scored a 10-second head-kick knockout at PFL Europe to give him three finishes out of three pro fights.

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