Wellington Turman: The Last Stand in the UFC

Wellington Turman is stepping into the Octagon with a massive target on his back and a fire extinguisher in hand, trying to put out the blaze consuming his career. Riding a three-fight losing streak, the Brazilian isn't just fighting for glory or a spot in the rankings anymore: he’s fighting for his UFC badge. Up against the rising hype of Islam Dulatov, Turman is putting it all on the line in a matchup that feels like a high-stakes, do-or-die moment.

🥊 Quick Stats

Name: Wellington Turman
Record: 18-8-0
Distinguishing feature: Trains with Alex Pereira but defends strikes like he’s wearing a blindfold.

The High-Five Block

Last 5 results:

• ❌ Jared Gooden — Submission (R2) UFC Fight Night
• ❌ Randy Brown — Unanimous decision UFC Fight Night
• ❌ Andre Petroski — Unanimous decision UFC 281
• ✅ Misha Cirkunov — Submission (R2) UFC Fight Night
• ✅ Sam Alvey — Split decision UFC Fight Night

The Origin Story

Curitiba, Brazil. The holy land of legitimate violence. It’s in this historic cradle that birthed Anderson Silva and the Rua brothers that Wellington Turman let out his first cries in 1996. Forged in traditional Muay Thai and polished by the demanding school of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, he earned his black belt with the firm intention of taking it global. Before joining the big leagues in 2019, Turman cut his teeth in the Brazilian regional circuit (Imortal FC, Brave CF). His style back then? Suffocating grappling, the kind of aggression typical of his hometown, and a bad habit of wanting to finish opponents on the ground, no matter the cost on the feet.

The Tough Life of a UFC Gatekeeper

Arriving in the UFC with the "tough prospect" label, Turman quickly morphed into a luxury gatekeeper. A thankless role. He beats the worn-out veterans like Sam Alvey or Misha Cirkunov, but as soon as the level rises, the machine breaks down. His move to welterweight was supposed to give him a second wind. Spoiler: it was a shipwreck. His second-round submission loss to Jared Gooden sent a cold chill through his ambitions. When a BJJ purist gets submitted by a striker known for being porous on the mat, it’s a sign the software needs an urgent update.

Useless Trivia

• He now trains at Teixeira MMA & Fitness, sharing his daily grind with the mountain of muscle that is Alex "Poatan" Pereira and the legendary Glover Teixeira.
• During his win against Sam Alvey, he was docked two points for repeated eye pokes. He still managed to scrape by with a split decision. A total robbery.
• Despite his grappler profile, he has an abysmal 20.8% takedown success rate. In plain English, he spends four out of five attempts grabbing nothing but air.

The MMX Eye

For your MMX League picks, Wellington Turman is the ultimate red flag—the kind of fighter who makes analysts sweat. His UFC stats speak for themselves, and they aren't pretty. With only 45.2% strike defense, the Brazilian takes a beating every time he steps out: 4.2 strikes absorbed per minute for only 3.2 landed. This negative differential is an invitation to disaster against a striker of Islam Dulatov’s caliber.

Turman’s game plan is simple on paper: take it to the ground to let his black belt and 33.3% finish rate do the talking. But with a takedown accuracy stuck at 20.8%, the transition is likely to be a nightmare. If he can’t establish a heavy clinch against the cage in the opening seconds to wear Dulatov down, Turman is going to walk right into his opponent’s firepower. A high-risk bet for your brackets, unless you’re banking on a phenomenal surge of pride on the mat in the second round.

Wellington Turman is fighting for his survival in the elite ranks on a desperate roll of the dice. Do you think he’ll win his next fight? Come make your picks and challenge your buddies on MMX.

📋 On the same card: Check out all the profiles for UFC Fight Night: Ankalaev vs. Guskov