Alex Pereira-slayer Artem Vakhitov picks up first MMA win after disappointing injury in debut loss [VIDEO]
Artem Vakhitov, the last man to beat Alex Pereira in kickboxing, clinched his first-ever MMA win the past weekend at the World Ertaymash Federation (WEF) event in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.
After a disappointing loss in his debut owing to an elbow dislocation 55 seconds into the fight with Ashraf Bashandy, the Russian returned to claim a TKO win over Siyavush Salokhov.
The end came as Salokhov's attempt at a takedown was reversed by the former Glory champion, who then gained top control before raining down punches on his opponent, forcing the referee to stop the fight.
Watch Artem Vakhitov in action below:
Vakhitov (23-6 in kickboxing) holds a win against 'Poatan' from the second of back-to-back kickboxing bouts he had with the Brazilian in 2021.
In their first meeting, Pereira successfully defended his Glory light heavyweight strap, inching out a split-decision win. The second time around, Vakhitov got the better of his rival via a majority decision, claiming the 209-pound championship.
With the talented kickboxer now in MMA, one can only speculate if he ends up signing with the UFC like Pereira.
However, 'Poatan' has no time to worry about a potential fight against his former foe. He is rumored to be linked to numerous matchups, including a heavyweight clash against Tom Aspinall and a light heavyweight showdown against Israel Adesanya.
Alex Pereira and Artem Vakhitov's similar MMA beginnings
Alex Pereira and Artem Vakhitov share similarities in their MMA journeys.
Interestingly, both men lost their mixed martial arts debuts. When 'Poatan' crossed over to MMA in 2015, his first outing at Jungle Fight 82 ended in a disappointing submission loss to Quemuel Ottoni.
Watch Alex Pereira's MMA debut below:
However, the loss did not hamper his MMA dreams. The Brazilian then went on to build an enviable MMA resume, complete with two-division championship glory in the UFC, taking out a veritable list of fighters including Israel Adesanya and Jiri Prochazka along the way.
Will Vakhitov also mirror 'Poatan's' later career? Only time will tell.