Austin Vanderford Joins UFC Roster, Set for Debut at Seattle Event

Austin Vanderford has finally secured his opportunity to compete in the UFC. The former Bellator fighter is stepping in on short notice for a 175-pound catchweight contest against Nikolay Veretennikov at this weekend’s UFC Seattle event.

Vanderford previously appeared on Dana White’s Contender Series, winning his bout but not receiving a contract. He then signed with Bellator MMA, eventually challenging for the middleweight title against Gegard Mousasi in 2022, where he suffered a TKO loss. Vanderford, who is married to former UFC fighter Paige VanZant, has been actively campaigning for a chance to compete in the UFC.

His opponent, Veretennikov, is also a Contender Series alumnus, having lost to Michael Morales in Season 5. Veretennikov joined the UFC last year and lost a split decision to Danny Barlow in his promotional debut.

The UFC Seattle event is scheduled for this Saturday at Climate Pledge Arena. The main event features a bantamweight clash between former two-division champion Henry Cejudo and Song Yadong.