Ivan Gnizditskiy Joins UFC After Visa Issues Prevented Contender Series Appearance

Ivan Gnizditskiy, a 7-0 Russian prospect, has officially signed with the UFC after missing an opportunity to compete on Dana White’s Contender Series due to visa issues. His signing comes as the tenth season of the series concluded, with four fighters earning contracts.

Gnizditskiy was originally scheduled to fight Nell Ariano on the Contender Series but withdrew. He has a notable background, having previously fought under ONE Championship, where he achieved two first-round knockouts. His professional MMA career boasts a 100 percent finishing rate.

He is expected to make his UFC debut at UFC Riyadh on December 5, although his opponent has not yet been announced. The event will also feature Israel Adesanya's return to the octagon, where he will face Shara Magomedov.