Thomas Guntt (11-0) will make his UFC debut against Artur Miniev (7-0) at UFC Vegas 117 this weekend in a lightweight bout. Miniev replaces Trey Ogden, who withdrew due to injury. Guntt is a base wrestler who competed for the University of North Carolina and transitioned to MMA in 2023, compiling 14 fights between February 2024 and February 2025, including 11 professional bouts with 10 finishes and a DWCS win in September. Miniev represents Ukraine but trains in the United States, with 6 finishes in 7 fights (4 knockouts and 2 submissions), primarily competing in Cage Fury before launching his professional career in 2023.
Thomas Guntt will step into the UFC for the first time this weekend at UFC Vegas 117, facing unbeaten Ukrainian prospect Artur Miniev in a lightweight contest after Trey Ogden was forced out of the bout with an injury.
Guntt arrives with a perfect 11-0 professional record, having built it at a rapid pace with 14 total fights between February 2024 and February 2025. Ten of his eleven wins have come by finish, and the Connecticut wrestler earned his UFC contract with a Dana White's Contender Series victory in September. A collegiate standout at the University of North Carolina, Guntt made the transition to MMA in 2023 and has wasted no time establishing himself as one of the more active prospects in the lightweight division.
Miniev steps in on short notice carrying an equally unblemished 7-0 record, with six finishes across his professional career — four by knockout and two by submission. The Ukraine-born fighter, who trains out of the United States and competed primarily for Cage Fury, has also been active since turning professional in 2023, giving this matchup an interesting mirror quality with two young, undefeated lightweights on collision course in their respective UFC debuts.
Ogden, the originally scheduled opponent, is a 36-year-old American fighter out of Marathon MMA holding an 18-7 record. The veteran lands 3.2 significant strikes per minute at fifty percent accuracy and averages 1.89 takedowns per fifteen minutes, bringing a well-rounded orthodox skill set to his fights. His withdrawal opens the door for Miniev to step into a high-profile opportunity on short notice.
Why it matters
- Both Guntt and Miniev enter the UFC undefeated, meaning one perfect record will be ended on debut night
- The replacement booking gives Miniev a significant short-notice test against a heavily finished opponent
- A lightweight division in need of contender depth gets two finishing-oriented prospects evaluated simultaneously
