Austin Vanderford

Austin “The Gentleman” Vanderford is an American UFC Middleweight fighter and former Bellator Middleweight Championship challenger. A wrestling-based mixed martial artist with a relentless grappling game and growing knockout power, Vanderford has competed at the highest level of the sport across both Bellator MMA and the UFC, building a professional record of 13 wins and 3 losses with finishes in 62 percent of his bouts.

Early Life: From Alaska to the Wrestling Mat

Austin Vanderford was born on March 21, 1990 in Santa Rosa, California, before relocating to Ninilchik, Alaska, a remote coastal town on the Kenai Peninsula, at just nine months old. Growing up in Alaska shaped him into a competitor from an early age, wrestling through high school before earning his way to Southern Oregon University on an athletic basis.

At Southern Oregon University, Vanderford developed into one of the most accomplished wrestlers in the NAIA circuit, becoming an NAIA National Champion at 184 pounds and a two time All-American. Those credentials on the mat gave him the athletic foundation to pursue a professional MMA career, and he began training in earnest in 2015 after his collegiate career concluded.

From Wrestling Rooms to the Professional Cage

Vanderford made his professional MMA debut in 2017 and built an undefeated record of 10 and 0 on the regional scene, winning the CageSport 170-pound championship along the way, before earning a spot on The Ultimate Fighter season 28 in 2018. His performance on the show, including a second round rear-naked choke finish in the finale, earned him a contract with Bellator MMA and announced him to a wider audience as a legitimate prospect.

He now trains at Gracie Barra Portland and previously spent time at American Top Team, developing his striking and submission game around the championship wrestling base that has always defined his approach inside the cage.

Bellator MMA: Building Toward a Title Shot

Vanderford’s Bellator career was one of consistent progress. He compiled a 5-0 record inside the promotion, working through a series of competitive opponents before earning a shot at the Bellator Middleweight World Championship against the legendary Gegard Mousasi at Bellator 275 in February 2022. The challenge came too early, as Mousasi stopped him by TKO in just over a minute, but the fact that Vanderford had competed for a world title inside one of the sport’s biggest organisations represented a significant marker in his career.

He bounced back with a decision win over Fabian Edwards and has continued to pursue elite level competition since.

The UFC Chapter

Following his Bellator tenure, Vanderford signed with the UFC and has competed at middleweight inside the promotion, adding further high level experience to his resume. His most recent UFC appearance came at UFC 320 in October 2025, where he faced Ramiz Brahimaj, losing via second round guillotine choke submission. Prior to that, he delivered a second round TKO victory over Nikolay Veretennikov in February 2025, demonstrating the striking development that has complemented his elite wrestling base throughout his career.

At 36 years old and fighting out of Portland, Oregon, Vanderford continues to compete at the highest level of middleweight MMA, combining the technical foundations of a two time NAIA All-American wrestler with the full skill set required to compete inside the UFC Octagon.

A Fighter Known Beyond the Sport

Vanderford is widely known across the broader combat sports world as the husband of former UFC fighter and multi-platform personality Paige VanZant, whom he married in 2018. The couple have built a significant combined profile across social media and the sports and entertainment world, giving Vanderford a public reach that extends well beyond the standard audience for his weight class.

First Round Management

Austin Vanderford is represented by First Round Management, a leading MMA management company specialising in UFC athlete representation, contract negotiation, brand partnerships and career development for elite combat sports professionals. For booking, commercial and appearance enquiries, contact our team.