Paige VanZant’s Husband Steps in for Short-Notice UFC Fight

Austin Vanderford (12-2) will face off against Nikolay Veretennikov (12-5-0). He’s been grinding for this moment. Back in 2018, he made waves on Dana White’s Contender Series, submitting Angelo Trevino in impressive fashion. But despite the slick finish, he didn’t get a UFC contract—a snub that had some people scratching their heads. Instead, he took his talents to Bellator, where he racked up wins and even fought for the middleweight title at Bellator 275 against Gegard Mousasi. That night didn’t go his way (first-round TKO loss), but he kept pushing forward, bouncing back with a statement win at Legacy Fighting Alliance (LFA) 194 in 2024, where he put Victor Romero away via TKO. 

Now, the UFC has come calling, and Vanderford is jumping in on short notice to face Veretennikov, a striker coming off back-to-back losses—most recently dropping a split decision to Danny Barlow. It’s a golden opportunity for Vanderford to make his mark and finally show UFC brass what they passed on all those years ago. 

With little time to prep, Vanderford is stepping into the cage with everything to gain. If he delivers a statement win, it might finally be his name making the headlines at home.