LAS VEGAS – Ion Cutelaba sees his UFC Fight Night 229 matchup with Philipe Lins as an important step for the stability of his career.
After a career-long three-fight losing skid, Cutelaba (17-8-1 MMA, 6-7-1 UFC) got a crucial win in April when he stopped Tanner Boser by first-round TKO. “The Hulk” hasn’t put together consecutive wins since 2018, but the light heavyweight matchup with Lins (17-5 MMA, 3-2 UFC), which takes place at the UFC Apex and streams on ESPN+, gives him the chance to change that.
The performance against Boser was good building block for Cutelaba, he said, but the next matchup has even more significance in his mind.
“I’m not happy with where I’m at just yet,” Cutelaba told MMA Junkie and other reporters during Wednesday’s UFC Fight Night 229 media day. “I worked a lot on myself in preparation for this fight. I worked on a lot of my thoughts, a lot of my mistakes. A lot on my skills. I’m really very much waiting this fight to see where I’m at and what questions can be answered.”
Cutelaba, 29, thinks the fight against a former heavyweight in Lins will be a good barometer for the state of his career. The 2018 PFL champion brings a three-fight winning streak into UFC Fight Night 229, and Cutelaba said it’s his duty to end that.
“When I was offered this opponent I was really happy about it,” Cutelaba said. “He’s a really good opponent, he’s a really great fighter. He’s a strong fighter. He’s got three victories in a row, so I think he’s a really good level for me just to test myself against a fighter on that level. I think it’s a very good fight for me.”
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 229.
