Former New York Jets linebacker Anthony Wint earned a UFC contract on Tuesday night by scoring a brutal 34-second knockout against Matthew Adams. The 30-year-old completed the quick stoppage in a heavyweight bout on Dana White's Contender Series at the Meta APEX in Las Vegas. Wint swarmed Adams from the opening bell, unleashing a relentless flurry of punches that forced a rapid stoppage just over half a minute into the opening round.
The dominant finish impressed UFC chief Dana White, who revealed after the event that the former NFL star was already pushing for his promotional debut. White claimed he is actively working to book Wint for a quick turnaround at their Fight Night event on August 22 in Sacramento.
"Wint is fun. This guy is all over me," White told reporters. "He says, 'I'm not leaving Las Vegas until you guys get me a fight,' so probably put him on UFC Sacramento."
"I love guys who want to turn around quick and fight again," White added. "When you come into the Contender [Series] and you do well and you get that pop, staying active is the best thing you could do."
Football Background and MMA Transition
The victory pushed Wint's undefeated professional MMA record to 7-0 after beginning his combat sports training in 2021 following the end of his gridiron career. An undrafted free agent out of Florida International, Wint appeared in two games for the Jets during the 2018 season before a brief stint in the CFL.
The UFC shared video of the finish on social media, writing, "Made it look easy Anthony Wint took care of business in RD1!" Wint reflected on adapting to the cage from football. "I played football my whole life. Not only football, linebacker," Wint said of adapting to the cage. "Now I've just got to dissect a man in three rounds."
Dana White on Maxx Crosby
Later in the night, White hinted that another NFL star could potentially have a future in the UFC after waxing lyrical about Las Vegas Raiders star Maxx Crosby. With more football stars finding success inside the octagon, White suggested Crosby could be a star if he took on mixed martial arts.
"Imagine if Maxx Crosby trained in MMA since he was a kid, he would be a world champion right now. And I believe that to my core," White said. "And I know a lot of s*** about Maxx Crosby that you guys don't know."
