He made his first appearance on Dana White’s Contender Series in the summer of 2019, rallying to collect a third-round stoppage win over Herdem Alacabek, earning a developmental deal from the promotion for his efforts. He moved up to heavyweight and mauled Jamelle Jones before losing to future UFC competitor Tafon Nchukwi in a catchweight fight contested at 225 pounds.
Two months later, he returned to light heavyweight and finished veteran Rocky Edwards, then returned to Las Vegas in the fall, working through some early trouble against Cody Brundage to earn the finish before the midway point of the opening stanza. The effort earned him a contract, and since graduating to the Octagon, the Connecticut native has shown impressive flashes, especially over his last two fights.
Now he’s ready to test himself against Grishin, knowing a victory over the Russian veteran is another key step towards reaching the top of the heap.
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“Me going against someone in that league? That is a veteran? That’s rewarding to me and I love it,” he said of facing Grishin, who has gone just 1-2 through his first three UFC appearances, but carries a 31-9 record with two no contest verdicts into their preliminary card matchup on Saturday night in Houston. “I like fighting seasoned vets — that tells me that I’m climbing up the ranks, faster than expected.
“At the end of the day, my goal is gold — UFC gold — and the only way to get there is to destroy everybody they put in my path, and that’s what I’m going to do.”
