5 Things You Might Not Know About Ludovit Klein

Patient persistence placed Ludovit Klein on the doorstep to relevance in the Ultimate Fighting Championship lightweight division.

The 30-year-old Slovakian will attempt to break into the Top 15 when he toes the line against former two-division Konfrontacja Sztuk Walki champion Mateusz Gamrot in the UFC on ESPN 68 co-main event this Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. Klein enters the cage with the wind of a four-fight winning streak at his back. He last saw action at UFC Fight Night 243, where he took a three-round unanimous decision from Roosevelt Roberts on Sept. 28.

As Klein zeroes in on Gamrot and their looming showdown at 155 pounds, here are five things you might not know about him:

1. He shares a connection to the Wild West.

Klein was born on Feb. 22, 1995 in Nove Zamky, Slovakia—a city of some 40,000 people situated near the center of the landlocked European nation. It was also the birthplace of Mary Katherine Horony, aka “Big Nose Kate,” the longtime companion and common-law wife of legendary gunslinger Doc Holliday.

2. He maximized his youth.

“Mr. Highlight” made his professional mixed martial arts debut as a 19-year-old when he dismissed Martin Mihalik with a rear-naked choke just 27 seconds into their encounter under the Pit Cage Fighting banner on Dec. 20, 2014. Klein won nine of his first 10 bouts, establishing himself as one of Europe’s most promising prospects.

3. He made history for his homeland.

Klein was the first Slovakian to reach the Ultimate Fighting Championship. He drew his first Octagon assignment as a short-notice replacement for former M-1 Global champion Nate Landwehr at UFC 253, where he wiped out Shane Young with a head kick and follow-up punches 1:16 into their Sept. 26, 2020 confrontation. Klein holds a 7-2-1 record across his 10 appearances in the promotion.

4. Quick-strike capability has been a calling card.

The Spartakus Fight Gym rep has 10 first-round finishes to his credit, four of them inside 90 seconds. In addition to his aforementioned routs of Mihalik and Young, Klein tapped Adam Nemeth in exactly one minute on July 4, 2015 and put away Michal Stefak in 40 seconds on March 5, 2016. The guillotine choke was his weapon of choice in both instances.

5. He qualifies as a world traveler.

Klein has fought in 10 different countries during his 28-fight career. He has suited up in his native Slovakia, Russia, Belarus, Austria, Wales, the Czech Republic, the United Arab Emirates, the United States, England and France.