Over the weekend, UFC President Dana White informed the media that more than 60 fighters on the promotion’s roster are set to be released this month. Fans instantly began debating which athletes would be let go. Today, I’ll go over five of the fighters most likely to be cut from the UFC heading into 2020.
It’s a difficult time for athletes in the UFC. No one wants to see any of them lose their job. Fortunately, there are more MMA promotions operating around the world today than ever before in history. Fans have more access to great MMA betting sites, too!
Here’s what you can expect to take place over the next couple of weeks.
UFC’s Dana White Hints at Upcoming Roster Cuts
The UFC is the world’s biggest MMA promotion. Since its first event in 1993, it has grown to reach millions of people around the world. There are now UFC Champions from Asia, Europe, North America, and South America.
As the UFC grew more popular, its roster expanded. The promotion’s matchmakers work hard to secure up and coming talent. There are now hundreds of fighters competing across the UFC’s 12 different weight classes.
Some of these fighters are now at risk of losing their jobs, though. Dana White revealed this fact to the media during a post-fight press conference last Saturday. He claims there could be up to 60 cuts before the end of 2020.
“We’re gonna go through some serious cuts here at the end of the year,” White said. “Probably gonna have 60 cuts coming up before the first of the year. And Yoel [Romero] has lost four of his last five, he’s 44 years old. Our roster is very inflated right now. So we’re gonna have some big cuts coming before the end of the year. You’re gonna see a lot of names going here in the next several weeks.”
It’s interesting news to hear from White. Not many fans expected to see so many fighters released. The UFC is holding shows on a regular basis and seems to be finding success with its major Pay-Per-View events.
Dana White seems adamant that some of his fighters will be let go soon. There are several that are now expected to receive their pink slip. Here are the ones you can expect to see released before the end of the month.
Top 5 Fighters Most Likely to be Cut From the UFC
It’s not uncommon to hear about fighters getting released from their UFC contracts. Oftentimes, it can take place after just two losses. MMA is a tough sport and it takes a special athlete to find consistent success in the world’s biggest MMA promotion.
To see a massive roster cut like the one Dana White mentioned, however, is something that fans are not used to. It’s a numbers game and the UFC seems to feel they can no longer accommodate so many fighters under contract.
Many are now trying to figure out which fighters will go and which ones will stay. Below is my breakdown of the five fighters most likely to be cut from the UFC this year.
Jeremy Stephens
Hardcore MMA fans know Jeremy Stephens as an all-action fighter always looking for a knockout. Casual fans might know him for the infamous “who the F*%k is that guy” interaction with Conor McGregor back in 2016. Jeremy has been a fighter with the UFC since 2007 and has been involved in many incredible fights over the years.
Time catches up with everyone. Over the past two years, Jeremy has gone 0-4-1. That usually means that a fighter’s time with the UFC is coming to an end. Some argue that Stephens will be given one more fight with the promotion to prove that he belongs.
It’s reasonable to assume that Jeremy is one of the fighters most likely to be cut from the UFC. A long losing streak and relatively poor performances against Calvin Kattar and Yair Rodriguez (who is expected to be sitting on the sidelines for months) could mean his time with the promotion is over.
Robbie Lawler
Robbie Lawler is another that hardcore fans know for his tenacity and knockout power. He is one of the true old school fighters still competing in the UFC today. His first fight with the promotion came all the way back in 2002!
At 38 years old, it’s reasonable to assume that Lawler is nearing the end of his career as a fighter. He’s gone 0-4 in his last four bouts, most recently losing via decision to Neil Magny. Fans love Lawler, yet the UFC may feel that he’s no longer worth the money they are paying him to compete.
It’s incredible to see how fast things can change in this sport. Lawler was the UFC welterweight champion just four years ago. He’s now closing in on retirement. Don’t be surprised if you see his name included on the list of released fighters.
Junior Dos Santos
There was a time when Junior Dos Santos was considered the best heavyweight fighter on the planet. He’s been having a rough past few years, though. Junior has lost his past three fights via knockout and seems on the brink of release from the UFC.
Unlike some of the other fighters on this list, Dos Santos is scheduled to compete this month. He’ll be taking on top-prospect Ciryl Gane this upcoming weekend. A loss almost guarantees that he will lose his spot on the UFC roster.
BetOnline, one of the best online sportsbooks in the world, is now offering odds on this matchup. Dos Santos is listed as the +350 underdog in this bout. Gane looks like a future title contender and is the -450 favorite. It will be fascinating to see how Junior performs knowing that his career is on the line.
Raphael Assuncao
The UFC’s bantamweight division is one of the best in MMA right now. The entire top-10 of the weight class is stacked with world-class talent. A few years ago, Raphael Assuncao was seen as one of the best bantamweights on the planet.
Between 2011 and 2018, Assuncao went 11-1 in the UFC. For reasons unknown, he was never given a shot at the title. Raphael is now riding a three-fight losing streak and seems like one of the fighters most likely to be cut from the UFC.
Raphael isn’t necessarily a fan favorite and has a tendency to win close decisions. That isn’t a trait the UFC loves and could end up being Assuncao’s downfall. It wouldn’t be a shock to see the former bantamweight contender move to another promotion in 2021.
Andrea Lee
Andrea Lee was one of the most exciting prospects to make the move to the women’s bantamweight division back in 2018. With a record of 9-2, there was serious talk that she would quickly earn a title shot. She earned three-straight victories in the promotion before hitting a rough patch.
Lee has now lost her past three bouts. Unfortunately, she hasn’t looked particularly good in any of these losses. The striking arsenal that earned her a spot on the UFC roster seems to have deteriorated for one reason or another.
Many fans were excited to see Andrea Lee compete on December 12th against Gillian Robertson. Unfortunately, she was forced off the card due to a nose injury. That withdrawal may end up costing her a spot on the UFC roster. Don’t be surprised to see Lee depart from the UFC before 2021 rolls around.
It’s hard to see a fighter lose their jobs. There are many fantastic promotions looking forward to signing the fighters released by the UFC, though. I’ll be sure to offer more updates on this situation over the next few weeks!
Check Out These Odds on UFC 256!
The UFC clearly has a busy few weeks ahead. The promotion is scheduled to hold two more major events this month. That includes UFC 256, live on Pay-Per-View this Saturday. Many fans are now heading to different online sportsbooks to place wagers on this event.
The main event is drawing in a huge number of wagers. Deiveson Figueiredo has established himself as one of the best pound-for-pound fighters on the planet. He’s set to take on Brandon Morero, who is coming into this fight with five wins in six fights.
It’s not much of a surprise to see Moreno come into this fight as the +250 underdog. He’s constantly underestimated due to his perceived lack of experience. Moreno looks better than ever right now, however, and has been telling the media he will do everything he can to win on Saturday.
Figueiredo comes into this bout as the -300 favorite. He’s now 9-1 in the UFC with stoppages in his past four fights. Some believe that he is on track to become one of the sport’s best fighters and has a chance to prove that with a win on Saturday.
Every single fight on this card offers something special for fans. It will also be a hugely important moment for some of the fighters most likely to be cut from the UFC.
Are you surprised to hear about the UFC releasing so many fighters? Who do you think wins the UFC event on Saturday? Let me know in the comments section below!
