Back to the MMA Newsfeed

Ion Cutelaba: Game plan was to play possum, counterattack when referee stopped fight

If Ion Cutelaba actually was the Incredible Hulk, he would have turned green backstage at UFC Norfolk.

The Moldovan with a soft spot for the Marvel character could barely stay quiet long enough for his translator to relay his words after his TKO loss to Magomed Ankalaev.

Cutelaba told ESPN it was part of his game plan to play possum and counterattack when referee Kevin MacDonald stepped in to stop the fight 38 seconds into the action.

”When it’s two fighters on this level and they came here to fight and show the world a good fight, it doesn’t matter, one round, three rounds, 40 seconds – let them fight,” Cutelaba said backstage at Chartway Arena, which hosted Saturday’s event in Norfolk, Va.