Anthony Wint had a bit of a chip on his shoulder when he arrived at UFC Sacramento to face Terrance Chatman on the main card. Although the former New York Jets player made a swift transition to MMA and eventually became the Fury FC heavyweight champion, the stage was much bigger this time. Wint got a chance to prove that his transition from football wasn’t a mistake, and the 30-year-old certainly made a statement with an emotional admission as soon as he bagged the win in the first round.
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The fight started at a relatively slow pace, with Chatman taking the center while Wint landed leg kicks. After Wint’s takedown attempt went in vain, with Chatman showing solid defense, both fighters spent some time clinching, and it looked like it was going to be a weary heavyweight clash. But then, the showdown became much more interesting, with Wint finally showing his elite ground game as he secured a takedown.
Wint landed some good shots from half guard, but Chatman almost got a Kimura locked in. The Florida-based fighter switched from half guard to side control, yet he couldn’t get out of the Kimura attempt until his opponent made the mistake of changing position. The former New York Jets player found an opening to secure a technical arm-triangle choke, and he didn’t miss the opportunity to put his adversary to sleep in the very first round.
After winning an impressive UFC debut in Sacramento, Anthony Wint made an emotional confession about how religion and his faith in Jesus Christ saved his life.
“It wasn’t the game plan, man, but we got it done,” Wint told Michael Bisping during the post-fight interview. “I tell you what, y’all in trouble. Boy, y’all in trouble. Y’all done let me in here. Y’all tell you what, I’m a little concussed. I’m a little… Hey, Pastor Joe, I told you I wasn’t gonna cuss. But holy is the Lord God Almighty. There is no God above Jesus Christ, man.
“He brought me here today. He saved my life, man. I got so much to give to God. I don’t want to be here, but I tell you what. I get in this cage, you’re going to have to k—l me to get me out of here. You’re going to have to kill me. You’re going to have to k—l me.”
Anthony Wint’s emotional admission definitely comes from a place, as he went through some serious hardship before making his UFC debut. Though he was picked up by one of the NFL’s well-known teams, the New York Jets, in 2018, the team dropped the UFC heavyweight during the COVID-19 pandemic, which gave him some serious self-doubt. At that point, Wint found faith, which helped him push through those rough times and eventually bounce back.
“I’ve doubted myself so many times,” Wint told Fighters Only. “It’s not until I started walking hand in hand with God.”
After securing a stellar victory at UFC Sacramento, the Florida native joins names like Josh Hokit, Austen Lane, and Greg Hardy, who have all made the transition from the NFL to the UFC. So, he can definitely claim to be part of a very exclusive group.
However, it’s also noticeable that Wint sent a warning to the other heavyweights while making his emotional confession. He declared that the fighters at 265 pounds are going to be in trouble, showing the same self-belief he carried after his standout victory on Dana White’s Contender Series.
Anthony Wint warned the heavyweights even before making his UFC debut
At UFC Sacramento, Anthony Wint produced a highlight-reel finish and proved that he has the skills and grit to propel himself toward stardom. But the former Fury FC champion was already confident in his abilities right after making quick work of Matt Adams, knocking him out just 34 seconds into the first round at Dana White’s Contender Series 87. He even went as far as claiming that the heavyweights are scared of him.
“It’s scary. I can’t even think about it,” Wint said at the DWCS 87 post-fight press conference. “I stay up all night just dreaming about it. I know all the heavyweights are looking at this interview right now; they’re shaking in their boots.
Wint’s wrestling pedigree was already the talk of the town before he showcased it against Chatman tonight at UFC Sacramento. However, according to the former New York Jets player, he doesn’t believe he has particularly good wrestling. Instead, he believes that being a quick 235-pound heavyweight and training at Kill Cliff alongside elite fighters is what makes him more dangerous than the rest.
“Because I’m 235 pounds, I’m quick, and word on the streets is I can wrestle a little bit,” he added. “I think that’s a lie. I’m not that great of a wrestler. I don’t want to go out there and hug people, but man, it’s going to get scary because I have great coaches behind me. That’s the key. I have a great team around me at Kill Cliff.”
Kill Cliff is stacked with fighters like former champion Kamaru Usman, and by training alongside them, Anthony Wint can definitely continue growing stronger in the UFC. But after such a stellar performance, it would be interesting to see what the UFC has in store for him next.
