ONE Championship releases five fighters including Denis Puric and Anissa Meksen

ONE Championship cut five fighters from its roster, and it was performance that dictated the decisions.

Denis Puric and former title challengers Anissa Meksen and Dmitry Menshikov departed the promotion alongside lightweight MMA fighter Nicolas Vigna and flyweight Muay Thai competitor Tagir Khalilov. The releases reflect the organization’s emphasis on recent results and competitive trajectory as the ONE Friday Fights pipeline continues expanding talent options.

Puric exits after losing three of his last four contests. The 40-year-old Bosnian-Canadian striker’s final outing came at ONE 173 in Tokyo last November, where he suffered a second-round TKO loss to Takeru Segawa in flyweight kickboxing. The veteran built his reputation through wars with Rodtang Jitmuangnon and Jacob Smith but couldn’t maintain momentum.

Meksen departs without capturing ONE Championship gold despite holding major belts elsewhere. The French striker earned decision victories over Marie Ruumet and Dangkongfah in Muay Thai during 2022 before falling short in title bids. She lost decisions to Phetjeeja for the interim atomweight kickboxing title in 2023 and Jackie Buntan for the inaugural strawweight kickboxing title in 2024. Meksen closed her promotional run with a decision win over Kana Morimoto in December 2024.

Menshikov entered ONE Championship in June 2023 with an immediate title shot against Regian Eersel for the lightweight Muay Thai belt but was stopped in under a minute. The 28-year-old Russian striker responded with four consecutive finishes before his momentum stalled, ultimately ending his tenure without capturing the championship opportunity he sought.

Nicolas Vigna and Tagir Khalilov round out departures

Nicolas Vigna exits after losing all three promotional appearances. The Argentine lightweight debuted at ONE 171 in Qatar in February 2025 against lightweight submission grappling champion Kade Ruotolo, suffering a first-round submission loss. Vigna later dropped decisions to Dzhabir Dzhabrailov and Shozo Isojima in MMA contests, never finding his footing inside the Circle.

Tagir Khalilov departs the flyweight Muay Thai division as the fifth fighter cut from the roster. His release continues the pattern of performance-based decisions as ONE Championship manages limited roster spots against an expanding talent pipeline.

The promotion indicated released fighters may return if they rebuild momentum elsewhere. With ONE Friday Fights consistently producing new talent earning six-figure contracts and main roster opportunities, the organization has prioritized recent performance in roster decisions. The competitive landscape demands consistent results rather than past accomplishments.

Former champions and contenders face the same standards as prospects. ONE Championship’s approach emphasizes current form over historical credentials, creating pressure on veteran fighters to maintain elite performance levels or risk roster cuts despite decorated pasts outside the organization.