'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/2wBDAAYEBQYFBAYGBQYHBwYIChAKCgkJChQODwwQFxQYGBcUFhYaHSUfGhsjHBYWICwgIyYnKSopGR8tMC0oMCUoKSj/2wBDAQcHBwoIChMKChMoGhYaKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCj/wgARCAAHAAoDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAFQABAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABgf/2gAIAQEAAAAAlhj/xAAUAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA/9oACAECEAAAAH//xAAUAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAD/9oACAEDEAAAAH//xAAeEAACAgIDAQEAAAAAAAAAAAABAgMEBRIAITITQf/aAAgBAQABPwDBTYSDIWK89NFrWYvg0bFnXQDYgt77YL575axWOazKaty4K5cmMGBCdfzvbn//xAAWEQADAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAQL/2gAIAQIBAT8AUn//xAAXEQEAAwAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACABEh/9oACAEDAQE/AEryf//Z'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Ion Cutelaba has had a nightmare five-fight stretch. Everything started with his rivalry against Magomed Ankalaev.
In the first fight, 'The Hulk' lost in 38 seconds during a bizarre contest where he pretended to be stunned. The referee stopped the bout, assuming that the Moldovan was hurt.
Cutelaba got his request fulfilled and received a rematch eight months later, where he once again lost via first-round knockout. 'The Hulk' then ended up in a split draw against Dustin Jacoby before getting back in the win column against Devin Clark, a victory that ended his brutal three-fight stretch.
'The Hulk' returned to action at UFC Vegas 54 this past weekend, looking to build on the momentum of his latest win. Unfortunately, things quickly changed against Ryan Spann and Cutelaba lost via first-round submission.
Now, several days later, the Moldovan has issued an apologetic statement on Instagram, saying:
"Yes! I lost. I'm really sorry. I did a lot of work, but I made a mistake that changed everything! I'm not the person to give in or look back! I'm fine, and I'll be back soon!"
Despite losing in the first round, Cutelaba was solid through the first two minutes. After landing several takedowns and landing some good punches, 'The Hulk' made the mistake of rushing in on Spann, getting choked out almost instantly.
At 28 years old, the light heavyweight powerhouse has time to bounce back and improve before his next fight.
What's next for Ion Cutelaba?
Although Ion Cutelaba is one of the most interesting UFC personalities, his win over Clark probably saved him from being cut.
The UFC light heavyweight division continues to improve, and getting wins is not easy. 'The Hulk' needs to return with the mindset that a loss could end his UFC tenure.
So, who should Ion Cutelaba fight next? It's not hard to find an opponent for an exciting fighter with several holes in his game. Some options the UFC could be interested in are Johnny Walker, Jimmy Crute, Ovince Saint Preux, or Kennedy Nzechukwu. Those options vary depending on how the UFC sees his last couple of performances.
Despite losing three of his last five, Cutelaba has a fan-friendly fighting style and entertains with his pre-fight shenanigans. It's not time for the UFC to give up on 'The Hulk', but their patience may be running thin.
It's safe to say that the Moldovan fighter needs a win next time out to erase any chance of being cut.
