In a surprising move, the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) has signed Gokhan Saki.
Saki is known in the combat sports world for being an elite kickboxer. “The Rebel” is a former Glory light heavyweight champion. He was stripped of the gold in July 2015 for inactivity. As it turns out, Saki wants to get his mixed martial arts (MMA) career off the ground.
With a professional MMA record of 0-1, Saki’s UFC signing raises questions. He had that MMA bout back in 2004. With a September card in Rotterdam coming up, perhaps signing the Netherlands native isn’t all that confusing.
Here’s a piece of the announcement from the UFC:
“A kickboxing superstar whose exploits in the ring had fans dubbing him the ‘Turkish Tyson,’ Gokhan ‘The Rebel’ Saki will now square off with the best of the best in the Octagon, as it was announced Thursday that the UFC signed the Netherlands native to a promotional contract.”
Not much is known about Saki’s debut. The announcement claims that he is eyeing a spot on the Rotterdam card.
“There is no date or opponent scheduled for Saki’s UFC debut, but the 33-year-old light heavyweight has expressed an interest in competing on the Fight Night Rotterdam card on Sept. 2.”
