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Fighter Artur Minev, known as "The Headhunter" and of Bulgarian descent, is set to make his UFC debut tomorrow. He will face Tommy Grant in a lightweight bout in Las Vegas. Minev, who competes under the flags of Ukraine and Bulgaria, boasts an undefeated record of 7 wins (4 by knockout and 2 by submission) in 7 fights.
The talented fighter made a name for himself in the Fury FC promotion, where he secured four victories. He accepted the opportunity to fight in the UFC on short notice. Tommy Grant was originally scheduled to fight another opponent, Trey Ogden, who sustained an injury. The American, who trains under Daniel Cormier, earned his contract after a strong performance in the Contender Series.
Minev developed his fighting skills in Europe. He trained at the renowned UFD Gym in Düsseldorf, where former national boxing team member Spas Genov serves as a coach. It was there that he also met another Bulgarian training at the gym, Atanas Tangalov.
In recent years, he relocated to the United States. Artur Minev is now based in Las Vegas, with Merab Dvalishvili and Aljamain Sterling among his sparring partners. The fighter has also trained at other prominent gyms in the US, such as Jackson Wink and American Top Team.
"My parents lived in Plovdiv. They decided to move to Odesa, Ukraine, because we had many relatives there, Bessarabian Bulgarians. That's where I was born," Artur Minev shared, recounting his story to Sportna Dzhungla. "Currently, my parents live in Sofia. After the fight, I'd like to see them and be with them."
Minev will be introduced as a Ukrainian fighter due to his passport. Upon his return to Bulgaria, he plans to obtain Bulgarian citizenship.
"I thought about walking out with the Bulgarian flag, but the UFC doesn't allow flags," the fighter added. "I'd like to represent both countries because I love Bulgaria. I was last there for the amateur MMA World Championship in Sofia in 2021, where I won a bronze medal. That's when I met many Bulgarian guys from the national team."
"They called me on Monday. My manager said I had a chance to fight in the UFC. I replied that I'm ready to fight anyone," the undefeated talent further explained. "I know my opponent. He's a good wrestler. We are Bulgarians, and we can wrestle. I'm ready for anything. For wrestling, for striking. I know my skills. I will show everything in the cage. I train with the best MMA guys who are UFC fighters," Minev also told Sportna Dzhungla.
Source: jungle.bg
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