Former UFC veteran Sam Alvey has been announced to compete in the heavyweight division of Karate Combat, following a streak of losses in the UFC.
Sam Alvey, previously an Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) contender, is transitioning his bright smile to the fighters’ pit of the Karate Combat league. This announcement was made on Monday, where the promotion stated that the UFC veteran had been signed on to compete in their heavyweight division.
Having left the UFC on a note of disappointment, “Smile’n Sam” had been winless over the entirety of his last nine appearances. This unfortunate streak of losses began back in September 2018, the lowest point being an 0-8-1 record, which included two startling four-fight losing streaks. These were interrupted by a brief split draw against opponent Da Un Jung.
Alvey, now 37, managed to keep going in his UFC career until he was released in August 2022. This came after his technical knockout (TKO) loss to Michal Oleksieczuk. However, there was a glimmer of hope when in May of the same year he delivered a third-round knockout against Cameron Graham in a heavyweight match at an event by the B2 Fighting Series in Columbus, Ga. This victory ended Alvey’s losing streak, and his professional record now stands at 34-18-1, with 1 no contest (NC). His Karate Combat debut is planned for September 16, in an event set in the Dominican Republic.