Roster shake up: ONE Championship releases five fighters

Alyse Anderson joins four other fighters in losing their roster spots due to various reasons. The martial arts organization terminated contracts for multiple veterans who failed to meet competitive standards.

ONE Championship released Anderson, Reece McLaren, Ahmed Mujtaba, Alexis Nicolas, and Cody Jerome according to social media reports. Each fighter’s official profile now displays a “Released” tag on the promotion’s website, confirming their departure from the roster.

Anderson’s brief tenure exemplifies the unforgiving nature of elite competition in mixed martial arts. The 30-year-old American struggled translating potential into results after debuting with a September 2021 loss to Itsuki Hirata. Her lone victory came against Asha Roka before suffering defeats to Stamp Fairtex and Victoria Souza.

McLaren adds another veteran name to the growing list of released athletes. The Australian’s departure continues the promotion’s roster overhaul. His specific performance details weren’t immediately available.

Mujtaba faced similar challenges despite his veteran status and experience. The 32-year-old Pakistani fighter compiled a disappointing 4-5 record that peaked early before declining against elite opposition. His final three appearances resulted in consecutive losses to Kade Ruotolo, Halil Amir, and Sage Northcutt.

Nicolas’s release proves particularly surprising given his former championship credentials. The 27-year-old Frenchman held the ONE Lightweight Kickboxing World Championship before losing consecutive title defenses against Regian Eersel. The defeats cost him both his belt and roster position.

Alyse Anderson and Alexis Nicolas highlight promotion’s roster standards

Alyse Anderson and Alexis Nicolas represent contrasting career trajectories among the released fighters. Anderson never established herself as elite competition while Nicolas fell from championship heights to roster elimination within months.

Jerome’s ONE Championship journey ended almost immediately after beginning. The Canadian suffered a TKO loss to Luke Lessei in his debut Muay Thai bout at ONE Fight Night 27. The performance proved insufficient to earn additional opportunities within the organization.

Recent months have witnessed accelerated roster turnover throughout ONE Championship’s divisions. Combined with August’s six releases and July’s five departures, sixteen fighters have been eliminated recently. Previous casualties included longtime veterans Sitthichai Sitsongpeenong and former champion Danielle Kelly alongside established names like Meng Bo.