In the fast-paced world of MMA, opportunity often knocks at the most unexpected times—and for Ukrainian lightweight Miniev, that call came with just five days to prepare. The undefeated fighter (7-0 MMA, 0-0 UFC) will make his promotional debut at UFC Fight Night 276, stepping in on short notice to face fellow newcomer Thomas Gantt (11-0 MMA, 0-0 UFC) this Saturday at the Meta APEX in Las Vegas.
This matchup brings together two debutants with a combined 18-0 record, promising fireworks from the opening bell. Miniev, who left war-torn Ukraine to pursue his MMA dreams, has been on an impressive run, finishing six of his seven professional bouts—four by knockout and three via submission. His journey has taken him from training with Tyson Chartier in New England to JacksonWink in Albuquerque, and now he calls Las Vegas home, honing his skills under MMA Junkie's 2025 Coach of the Year, John Wood, at Syndicate MMA. He also frequently travels to Coconut Creek, Florida, to train with fellow countryman Yaroslav Amosov at American Top Team.
On the other side, Gantt brings a wrestling pedigree from North Carolina State University and a meteoric rise through the ranks. Since transitioning to MMA in 2023, he's packed an incredible 14 fights into just one year—three as an amateur and 11 as a professional. This blistering pace earned him a spot on Dana White's Contender Series, where he secured a UFC contract with a lightning-fast submission victory over previously unbeaten Adam Livingston.
The fight was originally set to feature Gantt against Trey Ogden, but an injury forced Ogden out, opening the door for Miniev. With both fighters hungry to make an impression in their UFC debuts, Saturday's bout promises to be a high-stakes clash of unblemished records and relentless ambition.