Undefeated light heavyweight contender Navajo Stirling, 28, of Auckland, New Zealand extended his perfect professional record with a second-round technical knockout victory over veteran Ion Cuțelaba, 32, of Chișinău, Moldova. The Ultimate Fighting Championship fighters co-headlined “UFC Fight Night 119” at the Meta Apex in Enterprise, Nevada, United States on June 20, 2026.

Navajo Stirling vs Ion Cutelaba

Despite appearances to some casual observers that Cuțelaba threw in the towel during the decisive sequence, Stirling stepped forward to set the record straight, defending his opponent’s durability and explaining the precise tactical exchange that brought about the fight’s dramatic end.

After the fight, Stirling revealed that a brutal, well-placed body strike was the true turning point. Moments before Cuțelaba executed his final takedown, Stirling landed a flush left knee directly to the Moldovan’s liver.

Although Cuțelaba briefly completed the wrestling attempt through sheer willpower, the delayed reaction of the liver shot quickly set in. Stirling noted that within two seconds of hitting the mat, Cuțelaba let out a loud, winded gasp as his body went limp, losing his grip on the position. Recognizing that his opponent was severely compromised, the New Zealander seized the opportunity, reversed the position, and unleashed a ferocious barrage of ground-and-pound to force the stoppage at 3:23 of Round 2.

Stirling insisted that Cuțelaba did not give up, emphasizing that no fighter’s body can continue operating normally after absorbing a direct blow to the liver.

Navajo Stirling

Born Rongotehengia Navajo Hunter Stirling on November 7, 1997 in Upper Hutt, New Zealand, Stirling has built an impressive combat sports background. He is 6’4″ tall.

Of Te Whānau-ā-Apanui descent, Stirling transitioned from rugby and karate to elite striking at Auckland’s renowned City Kickboxing gym under head coaches Eugene Bareman and Doug Viney. Before making his mark in mixed martial arts, he captured multiple titles across kickboxing and Muay Thai, including the WBC Muay Thai New Zealand Heavyweight Championship and the WKBF K-1 World Heavyweight Championship.

Ion Cutelaba

Born on December 14, 1993 in Chișinău, Cutelaba is a prominent light heavyweight fighter in the UFC. Standing 6’1″ tall, he earned the moniker “The Hulk” due to his explosive physical style, aggressive cage presence, and energetic weigh-in antics, often painting his body green.

Before transitioning to mixed martial arts, Cuțelaba developed a strong grappling foundation in Greco-Roman wrestling and Sambo, earning national titles in both disciplines. He made his professional MMA debut in 2012, building an impressive 11-1 record in Eastern European promotions before signing with the UFC in 2016. Throughout his tenure in the UFC light heavyweight division, he has built a reputation as a high-octane starter known for early knockout power and ferocious ground-and-pound attacks.