Alex Pereira-slayer Artem Vakhitov faces off with rumored Francis Ngannou rival after rejecting UFC, fans react: "Saw that 12/12 contract and dipped"

Artem Vakhitov, who holds a victory over Alex Pereira, recently faced off with a rumored Francis Ngannou opponent after turning down a UFC contract. Vakhitov earned his UFC contract last October with a dominant first-round knockout win over Islem Masraf on 'Dana White's Contender Series' (DWCS).

However, the 33-year-old Russian announced last month that he had opted to pass on a UFC contract in favor of a high-stakes showdown against reigning GLORY heavyweight champion Rico Verhoeven in the main event of GLORY 100 on June 14.

Ahead of their kickboxing clash, Vakhitov and Verhoeven came face-to-face for the first time earlier this week, engaging in a staredown atop a building during a promotional photoshoot.

Check out the video below:

Fans had a mixed reaction to Vakhitov facing off with Verhoeven, with many making their predictions, while others praised the former GLORY light heavyweight champion for prioritizing kickboxing over a UFC career.

One fan wrote:

"Omg bro saw that 12/12 contract and dipped."

Another wrote:

"That's some crazy size difference."

Another commented:

"Great fight bruh bad matchup for Rico. Still am rooting for 'em."

Check out some more reactions below:

Vakhitov stands as the last fighter to defeat former UFC light heavyweight champion Pereira in a kickboxing bout, achieving the feat in their rematch in September 2021, just before ‘Poatan’ fully transitioned to MMA.

Meanwhile, Verhoeven, a former training partner of reigning PFL super heavyweight champion Ngannou, has previously expressed mutual interest in a potential fight with him in 2025, though the bout remains a distant possibility for now.

Artem Vakhitov opens up on his decision to reject UFC contract

During an appearance on The Ariel Helwani Show last month, Artem Vakhitov, speaking through a translator, shared his perspective on why he decided to turn down a UFC contract.

Vakhitov explained that his management engaged in contract discussions with the UFC, but they were unable to reach a deal due to concerns over the promotion’s financial terms and strict contractual requirements:

"UFC always works off a standard contract after 'Dana White’s Contender Series'. Unfortunately, we could not reach an agreement, or [there were] some things couldn’t agree [on]. When we got an offer [from GLORY] and we saw the news that all the Russian fighters are coming back to GLORY, we got an offer to fight against Rico and probably the possibility to become a double champion, we agreed very easily. And for sure, for good money, why not?"

Check out Artem Vakhitov's comments below (1:33:29):