A former NFL player is making waves in a different kind of arena—the UFC octagon.
Anthony Wint, who once suited up as a linebacker for the New York Jets, has secured a UFC contract after a decisive victory against Matthew Adams on “Dana White’s Contender Series.” The bout concluded just 34 seconds into the first round, with Wint defeating Adams via TKO, unleashing a cascade of punches that left no room for doubt.
Wint’s impressive debut performance has quickly made a fan out of UFC president Dana White. Following DWCS 87, White shared that Wint is already eager to secure a spot on an upcoming fight card.
“Wint is a blast to watch. He’s been persistent, telling me, ‘I’m not leaving Las Vegas until you guys get me a fight,’ so we’re considering him for [UFC] Sacramento,” White mentioned, as reported by MMA Junkie. “I appreciate fighters who are hungry to get back in the octagon quickly.”
White further emphasized the importance of staying active after a strong showing on the Contender Series, noting it as a crucial step in capitalizing on the momentum gained from such performances.
White said he’s working to make Wint’s request a reality at UFC Fight Night 285 taking place on Aug. 22 at the Golden 1 Center in California’s capital city.
Wint is now 7-0 in MMA fights.
The 30-year-old played his college football at Florida International and was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Jets in 2018, when he played in two games before being waived the following summer.
Wint was signed by the Canadian Football League’s Hamilton Tiger-Cats in December 2019, but the 2020 CFL season was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic and he opted out of his CFL contract in August of that year.
He began his amateur MMA career in 2021.
“I played football my whole life. Not only football, linebacker,” Wint said, per NFL.com. “So I was used to lining up against 11 people, having 11 people against me and then dissecting a whole play in 40 seconds.
“Now I just gotta dissect a man in three rounds.”