Ex-NFL Player Earns UFC Contract After 34-Second Knockout

Anthony Wint needed less than a minute to prove he belongs in the UFC.

The former New York Jets linebacker knocked out Matthew Adams just 34 seconds into their heavyweight bout on Dana White's Contender Series this week. The victory earned him a UFC contract and a reputation for being hungry to compete.

Wint's aggressive style immediately caught UFC president Dana White's attention. The fighter didn't wait for good news to come to him. He approached White directly after the fight.

"He says, 'I'm not leaving Las Vegas until you guys get me a fight,'" White told reporters. The UFC president was so impressed that he's already working to book Wint for UFC Fight Night 285 in Sacramento on August 22, just 11 days after his contract-winning performance.

The 30-year-old athlete is now undefeated in MMA with a perfect 7-0 record. His path to the octagon wasn't straight or simple.

Wint played college football at Florida International before signing with the Jets as an undrafted free agent in 2018. He appeared in two games before being waived the following summer.

In 2019, he signed with the Canadian Football League's Hamilton Tiger-Cats, but the pandemic canceled the 2020 season. Rather than wait, Wint opted out of his contract in August 2020 and began exploring a new future.

He started his amateur MMA career in 2021, bringing the same intense focus that made him successful on the football field. His linebacker experience translates perfectly to fighting, he says.

"I was used to lining up against 11 people, having 11 people against me and then dissecting a whole play in 40 seconds," Wint explained. "Now I just gotta dissect a man in three rounds."

Why This Inspires

Wint's story shows that setbacks can become setups for something better. Getting cut from the NFL could have ended his athletic dreams, but he found a new arena where his skills shine even brighter.

His willingness to stay ready, train hard, and pivot to a completely different sport reveals the mindset of someone who refuses to let circumstances define him. When the pandemic derailed his CFL career, he didn't wait for opportunities. He created them.

White loves fighters who want to stay active and keep competing, and Wint embodies that spirit perfectly. His confidence and hunger are opening doors fast.

From two NFL games to an undefeated MMA record and a UFC contract, Anthony Wint is proof that your biggest wins might be waiting in places you never expected to look.