Austin Vanderford Earns UFC Debut in Seattle This Weekend

SEATTLE, Wash. — Austin Vanderford is set to make his long-awaited debut in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) this Saturday, stepping in for a 175-pound catchweight bout. The match will take place at Climate Pledge Arena as part of the UFC Fight Night 252 event.

MMA Fighting confirmed the matchup on Tuesday, with Vanderford (12-2 MMA, 0-0 UFC) taking on fellow fighter Borislav Veretennikov (12-5 MMA, 0-1 UFC). The bout is particularly noteworthy as it fills a slot on a card that has faced several injuries and last-minute withdrawals.

Vanderford, who is 34 years old, previously competed in Bellator MMA, where he worked his way up to a middleweight title shot against Vadim Nemkov in 2022 but lost via TKO. During his tenure with Bellator from 2019 to 2022, he amassed a 5-2 record in the promotion.

Despite demonstrating his skills on season two of Dana White’s Contender Series, Vanderford did not receive a UFC contract at that time, which led to his signing with Bellator. Recently, Vanderford campaigned for an opportunity in the UFC, supported by his wife, former UFC fighter Paige VanZant. He expressed his excitement in interviews leading up to this fight.

Veretennikov, also a competitor from the Contender Series, lost a split decision in his UFC debut against Danny Barlow in August. He has since been training and preparing for the opportunity to secure his first UFC victory.

The UFC Fight Night 252 event is headlined by a bantamweight fight between former two-division champion Henry Cejudo and Rob Font, promising an exciting night for MMA fans.

Damon Martin contributed to this report, providing insights into the rapidly changing dynamics of fight card lineups in the UFC.