Artem Vakhitov is officially making the transition to MMA in June, MMA Fighting has confirmed.
The two-time GLORY light heavyweight champion, and the last man to beat former UFC champion Alex Pereira in kickboxing, will enter a cage to fight Ashraf Bashandy in a 205-pound contest. The match will serve as the main event for Open FC 31 in Shergesh, Russia, on June 11.
Vakhitov holds a kickboxing record of 23 wins, eight of those by knockout, and only six defeats.
The 32-year-old striker defended the GLORY title five times between 2016 and 2019 before losing a split decision to Pereira in 2021. Vakhitov avenged the loss to “Poatan” with a majority decision call to re-claim the belt eight months later, sending the Brazilian to the UFC on a loss.
Vakhitov parted ways with GLORY and became a free agent in mid-2022 and had his eyes on potentially making his MMA debut under the UFC or PFL banners, but will ultimately have his first experience in the sport in his native country.
Bashandy will make his professional MMA debut after competing five times in amateur MMA bouts, compiling a record of 4-1 with a trio of submission victories.