Adama Diop is the first fighter from Senegal to sign with the UFC. The heavyweight earned the contract on Dana White’s Contender Series Tuesday night, stopping previously undefeated Russian Zaurbek Sabanov with a second-round TKO at 2:13, even though White spent most of his post-fight comments picking the fight apart.
Dana White Gives Diop The Contract, With Reservations
Diop came in a 4-to-1 underdog against a 5-0 opponent, and the fight was not pretty. White called the heavyweight bout “atrocious” and said it was the “sloppiest fight” he could remember. He still handed Diop the deal, and explained why in comments transcribed by MMA Weekly.
“The guy’s 31 years old. I said let’s give him a shot,” White said. “The heavyweight division is always interesting. Anything can happen with the heavyweights.”
That is the whole case. Diop’s standup drew heavy criticism, but heavyweight is the one division where a limited fighter with real power or wrestling can still collect a win. The UFC is betting that a 31-year-old with a champion’s résumé is worth a look at that weight.
From Senegalese Wrestling To A UFC Deal
Diop is a former practitioner of traditional Senegalese wrestling who moved into MMA and won heavyweight titles in two countries within a year. Senegalese outlet Le Soleil reports that he became a champion at both Hexagone MMA in France and the EFC in South Africa, and that Senegal’s president recognized him for the achievement. Seneweb reported that he took the EFC heavyweight belt with a second-round TKO of Congolese fighter Matunga Djisaka in Johannesburg.
The Sabanov win was his chance to bring that to the UFC, and the finish came off a first-round takedown and a second round spent landing shots in close until the referee stepped in. No UFC debut date or opponent has been reported yet.
Our Contender Series Season 10, Episode 8 highlights have the full results from the night, and the Week 8 card preview has the lineup.
