Tyrone Spong Reflects on Turning Down Past UFC Offer

Former boxing and kickboxing champion Tyrone Spong was a highly sought-after figure in combat sports during the 2010s. Training with UFC stars at Blackzilians, he considered transitioning to MMA with the aim of joining the UFC roster. He managed a 2-0 record in the sport under the World Series of Fighting banner but ultimately opted to continue pursuing opportunities in kickboxing and boxing instead.

A decade later, as he prepares for his Karate Combat title bout against Sam Alvey in Dubai on May 2nd, Spong looks back on the path his career could have taken.

Speaking to MMA Fighting, Spong revealed, “At that time, I had good connections and meetings with the UFC, including Dana White. I really admire what Dana is doing; I think he`s undoubtedly the best promoter in combat sports. But back then, I was the dominant force. I had so many choices, which was both a blessing and a curse because it made me hesitant.”

Over a three-year period, Spong won 12 out of 13 kickboxing matches, which coincided with his two MMA victories. His single kickboxing loss was due to a leg injury that kept him sidelined for almost a year before he moved into boxing in 2015. Following this, Spong achieved 14 consecutive boxing wins, 13 by knockout. He paused his career in 2019, returning three years later for another MMA attempt, where he lost to seasoned veteran Sergei Kharitonov at Eagle FC.

Spong noted that during his discussions with the UFC, he was simultaneously competing in MMA, boxing, and kickboxing. “I think if you want to enter the UFC, you need to focus on it entirely. Firstly, because of the competitive level. And secondly, I didn`t want that level of commitment then because I had these other excellent options, goals, and achievements. When you sign there, you`re tied to that contract. At that time, the financial aspect and being tied down weren`t appealing to me. But as I always say, if it`s financially rewarding, makes logical sense, and the challenge is appropriate, why not go for it?”

Spong indicated he would consider returning to MMA in the future if the terms were favorable, but his current focus is on competing for Karate Combat.

Reflecting on his last MMA fight, Spong said it was after a long break and with very short preparation time. “If it`s interesting, why not? As I mentioned, I`m all about testing myself and beating the odds. That`s been the theme of my life. I`ve beaten the odds many times, and that`s the constant driving force for me. We`ll see what happens.”

He brought up fellow kickboxer Artem Vakhitov, who recently contemplated leaving GLORY for MMA, partly pursuing Alex Pereira into the octagon. Vakhitov competed on Dana White’s Contender Series, secured a win, but then declined the offered contract to return to GLORY to face their superstar Rico Verhoeven.

Spong, who trained with Vakhitov before his DWCS fight, commented, “I understand the UFC operates its business based on a specific model. However, I do believe there are some exceptions; they handle certain things differently for particular individuals. Artem is someone who has accomplished a lot. I believe he defeated their champion – or former champion – once or twice in very competitive, close fights. He wins the Contender Series, and then they want to offer him a contract similar in value to just any other newcomer? I mean, the man has a recognizable name. I don`t know his personal or financial situation, but if he rejected it, it probably wasn`t enticing for him.”

“So, I think he stands by his decision,” Spong concluded. “Was it the correct call? Only he can answer that; I can`t speak for him, but if he made that choice, it was likely the right decision for him at the time.”

Spong, who turns 40 in September, doesn`t believe a similar low offer would have been presented to him.

He stated confidently, “I`m quite certain I would have received a better offer from the UFC.” He knows the details of the offer from years ago, describing it as “not a negligible offer… not bad at all.” He explained that he had numerous other alternatives that offered greater challenges and allowed him to cement his legacy across combat sports in general, which led him to decline the UFC offer at that point.

Regarding potential regret, he remarked, “What if scenarios don`t matter. It happened; I didn`t take it back then. If you start thinking `what if I had accepted it?`, you might look at the success of certain fighters, and with a fighter`s confidence, you know you could have beaten those guys. Perhaps I made the wrong choice, perhaps not. Who knows? We will never know for sure.”