Tyrone Spong, a former champion in both boxing and kickboxing, was a prominent figure in combat sports throughout the 2010s. He trained alongside UFC athletes at Blackzilians and considered transitioning to mixed martial arts to compete in the UFC. He did enter the sport, securing a 2-0 record under the World Series of Fighting banner, but ultimately chose to concentrate on his kickboxing and boxing careers instead.
Now, a decade later, as he prepares for his upcoming Karate Combat title bout against Sam Alvey in Dubai on May 2, Spong is looking back on how his fighting path could have unfolded differently.
Spong recounted his previous discussions and meetings with the UFC leadership, including Dana White. “At that time, I had significant contact and meetings with the UFC, with Dana White,” Spong shared. “I admire Dana`s work; I think he is undoubtedly the best promoter in combat sports. However, back then, I was at a point in my career where I had abundant opportunities, which was both a privilege and a challenge, making it difficult to decide.”
Within a three-year span, Spong achieved 12 wins out of 13 kickboxing matches, while also securing his two MMA victories. His single kickboxing defeat came from a leg injury that sidelined him for nearly a year before he moved into boxing in 2015. There, Spong amassed an impressive streak of 14 consecutive wins, 13 of which were knockouts. He took a break from fighting in 2019 and returned three years later, making another attempt at MMA, but suffered a loss to seasoned veteran Sergei Kharitonov at Eagle FC.
Speaking about the period when he was in talks with the UFC, Spong explained, “I was actively competing in MMA, boxing, and kickboxing concurrently. In my opinion, to truly succeed in the UFC, you need complete and undivided focus on that sport. Firstly, because of the intense level of competition. Secondly, I wasn`t ready for that level of commitment at the time as I had other significant opportunities, goals, and accomplishments in different disciplines. Signing with the UFC means being tied to their contract. At that point, the financial terms and the contractual limitations didn`t feel worthwhile to me. But, as I always say, if it makes financial sense and presents the right challenge, why not consider it?”
Spong indicated that he would be open to returning to MMA in the future if a suitable offer were to arise, but his current focus is entirely on competing in Karate Combat.
Reflecting on his recent MMA appearance, Spong commented, “My last MMA fight was after a long period away from the sport and with very limited preparation time. If an interesting opportunity comes up, I`d consider it. As I`ve mentioned, I`m driven by challenging myself and defying expectations. Overcoming the odds is a recurring theme in my life; it`s my fundamental motivation. We`ll have to see what the future holds.”
Artem Vakhitov, another top kickboxer, recently followed a similar path, contemplating a switch from GLORY to MMA, partly motivated by his rivalry with Alex Pereira who had moved to the octagon. Vakhitov competed on Dana White’s Contender Series and emerged victorious, but ultimately declined the contract he was offered, choosing instead to return to GLORY to potentially face superstar Rico Verhoeven.
Spong, who had trained with Vakhitov prior to his Contender Series fight, shared his perspective on the situation and the UFC`s business model. “I understand that the UFC operates according to a specific business model,” Spong stated. “However, I do believe they sometimes make exceptions and handle things differently for certain athletes. Artem is a fighter who has achieved a great deal. I believe he defeated their champion—or former champion—on one or two occasions. Those were excellent, closely contested fights. He wins the Contender Series, and then they propose a contract with terms similar to any other newcomer? He has a recognized name. I`m not privy to his personal or business affairs, but if he turned the offer down, it was likely because it wasn`t sufficiently appealing to him.”
“So, I assume he stands firmly by his decision,” Spong added. “Was it the right choice? Only he can answer that; I cannot speak for him. But if he made that decision, it was probably the correct one for him personally at that time.”
Spong, who is set to turn 40 in September, expressed his belief that his own potential UFC offer would have been more substantial.
“I am quite confident that I would have received a better offer from the UFC,” Spong asserted. “I believe this based on the offer I received years ago, which was not insignificant by any means. Without going into specifics, it was genuinely a good offer, not poor at all. However, as I explained, I had so many alternative opportunities that allowed me to achieve more, pursue greater challenges, and solidify my legacy across combat sports disciplines in general, which led me to decline it at that juncture.”
“Do I regret it? The concept of `what ifs` is irrelevant now. It happened. I made my decision at the time. If you start contemplating, `What if I had signed?`, especially when you see the success of certain fighters—and as a confident fighter, I know I could compete with those guys—then perhaps I made the wrong choice, perhaps not. Who can say? We will simply never know for sure.”
