The UFC has released nine athletes, including John Makdessi, due to their recent performance or contract completion.
The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) has recently made the decision to release nine athletes from their roster, one of whom is veteran fighter John Makdessi. The news was confirmed by a person familiar with the matter, and the initial report was made by Twitter user Roster Tracker. Apart from Makdessi, the other athletes who have been cut from the organization are Andre Fialho, Hannah Goldy, JP Buys, Carl Deaton, A.J. Fletcher, Kamuela Kirk, Tucker Lutz, and Shane Young.
Makdessi, a lightweight fighter from Canada, had been with the UFC since 2010. However, he struggled to find success in his recent fights, losing three out of his last four matches. In a recent social media post, Makdessi expressed his disappointment with the financial aspects of his career, revealing that after various deductions, he received just over half of his show purse. Fialho also faced a series of defeats, enduring four consecutive knockouts over a span of 15 months. His final bout ended in a third-round stoppage by Tim Means.
Goldy, Fletcher, and Lutz completed their four-fight UFC contracts with only one victory each. Goldy, in particular, managed just one win in her five UFC appearances, while Fletcher and Lutz shared a similar record. Young, who made his UFC debut against future champion Alexander Volkanovski, was released after facing four straight losses. His final fight saw him miss weight and ultimately get choked out by Gabriel Miranda.
Buys, who had previously signed with Dana White’s Contender Series, failed to secure a win in any of his four UFC fights. Deaton, on the other hand, also faced disappointment with two losses during his time in the UFC. Finally, Kirk, who gained recognition for his debut victory over Makwan Amirkhani, was ultimately let go after suffering defeats in his subsequent matches against Damon Jackson and Esteban Ribovics.
In conclusion, the UFC has decided to part ways with a total of nine athletes, including veteran John Makdessi, due to a lack of performance or other factors. The fighters faced struggles in recent matches, with many of them experiencing multiple losses and few victories during their UFC tenure. It remains to be seen what the future holds for these fighters and whether they will continue to pursue their careers in mixed martial arts.