Nick Newell has his chance at a UFC contract.
It looks like UFC President Dana White will be giving congenital amputee Nick Newell a shot after all. White had previously stated that he would not sign Newell, who was born without his lower left arm.
Newell, age 32, fought for World Series Of Fighting from 2013 to 2015, when he retired due to injuries. He has a 14-1 record, with the single loss coming to ranked UFC Lightweight Justin Gaethje.
Nick Newell broke his retirement last month at LFA 35, defeating Sonny Luque via first-round submission. Immediately after the bout he called for a UFC contract. Newell also recently signed with MMA manager Ali Abdelaziz, who presumably helped him break through to Dana.
After a meeting earlier this week, Newell has secured a spot on an upcoming Dana White’s Tuesday Night Contender Series card this summer.
It’s still uncertain when and against whom Newell will be competing, but regardless, an impressive victory on the show will likely earn him a UFC contract.
MMAFighting reporter Helwani Tweeted:
Newell’s team are very happy with the offer. White didn’t want to meet with him for years, but they finally did on Monday and hit it off. Newell’s new manager Ali Abdelaziz was instrumental in setting up the meeting. He deserves credit for getting this one done.
— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) April 26, 2018
He also offered a quote of Newell’s reaction.
“I want to thank Dana white, Sean Shelby and Mick Maynard for believing in me and giving me a shot. I still have to go out there and deliver. I’m grateful for the opportunity.”
The Contender Series was launched last summer. The basic idea is that fighters compete for UFC contracts. The upcoming season has yet to be officially announced.
For more news and updates, follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
