Ion Cutelaba vs Modestas Bukauskas — Fight recap

Modestas Bukauskas defeated Ion Cutelaba via split decision after three rounds on May 10, 2025, in a light heavyweight contest decided by referee Dan Miragliotta. Cutelaba landed 58 of 130 significant strikes (44%) while controlling the cage for 2:21, but failed to convert any of his four takedown attempts.

Bukauskas countered with 44 of 92 significant strikes at a 47% clip, landing 37 of 85 head strikes to Cutelaba's 18, and maintained control time of 1:26. The fight remained standing throughout with neither fighter securing knockdowns or submission attempts, hinging on striking volume and accuracy.

Bukauskas's precision on the feet, particularly to the head, proved the deciding factor despite Cutelaba's superior cage control and body-strike output. The result keeps Bukauskas competitive in the divisional mix while Cutelaba faces questions about his takedown execution and fight-closing ability.