UFC parts ways with eight more fighters in latest roster purge

By Josh Evanoff - June 7, 2023

The UFC has parted ways with an additional eight fighters according to @UFCRosterWatch on Twitter.

Dana White

It’s worth noting that a fighter can part ways with the promotion for a multitude of reasons. Those reasons can include being cut due to poor performance, inactivity, fighting out their contract, and more. These eight fighters haven’t been confirmed to be cut from the promotion, but have been removed from the company’s website. Furthermore, they could return to the UFC in the future.

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The eight fighters that parted ways with the UFC are listed below:

Men’s Featherweight: Don Shainis (12-5 MMA)

‘Shameless’ seemingly will end his brief UFC tenure with an 0-2 record in the octagon. Shainis took a short-notice fight against Sodiq Yusuff last October, losing by first-round submission. In his return in February at UFC 284, the featherweight came up short by unanimous decision against Jack Jenkins.

Welterweight: Takashi Sato (15-7 MMA)

‘Ten’ is fresh off his return against Themba Gorimbo last month, losing by unanimous decision. That defeat was Sato’s fourth in a row, previously losing to the likes of Gunnar Nelson and Bryan Battle. The Japanese welterweight will end his tenure with a 2-5 record, defeating Jason Witt and Ben Saunders by knockout.

Men’s Bantamweight: Aaron Phillips (12-5 MMA)

Aaron Phillips’ second UFC tenure has seemingly come to a close. He previously fought in the promotion in 2014, going 0-2. However, he later returned to the company in 2020. Sadly, losses to Jack Shore and  Gastón Bolaños appear to have ended his second stint with the promotion.

Men’s Bantamweight: Journey Newson (10-5 1NC)

Journey Newson was last seen in the cage in April, losing to short-notice replacement Marcus McGhee by submission. That defeat set back the bantamweight to 1-4, with one no-contest in the UFC cage. That record has seemingly sent Newson out of the company.

Light-heavyweight: Maxim Grishin (32-10-2)

‘Maximus’ is fresh off his return at UFC Vegas 74 over the weekend. In that outing, Grishin suffered a unanimous decision loss to Phillipe Lins, a defeat that might’ve sent him packing. The Russian will exit the UFC with a 2-2 record.

Lightweight: Erick Gonazlez (14-8 MMA)

‘The Ghost Pepper’ has seemingly ended his first stint in the UFC. Gonzalez signed with the UFC in 2021 but was quickly handed a knockout loss by Jim Miller. It appears that subsequent stoppage losses to Terrance McKinney and Trevor Peak have ended his time with the Dana White-led company.

Lightweight: Nick Fiore (6-2 MMA)

New England Cartel lightweight prospect Nick Fiore is fresh off his decision loss to Chase Hooper last month. It appears that was all the UFC needed to part ways with the 25-year-old. Fiore made his debut earlier this year, losing by decision to Mateusz Rebecki.

Welterweight: Orion Cosce (8-2 MMA)

‘Galaxy’ appears to have ended his high-profile stint with the UFC. Cosce was signed to the UFC with an undefeated record off a knockout win in the Dana White Contender Series. However, with a 1-2 record, and a loss to Gilbert Urbina last month, the welterweight’s time in the UFC seems finished.

What do you make of these cuts? Where do you think these fighters will wind up?

This article appeared first on BJPENN.COM


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