UFC told Jussier Formiga that he is just one of 75 fighters to be released from the promotion.
Top ranked flyweight contender Jussier Formiga was surprisingly released from his UFC contract, but apparently there will dozens more to follow.
Ranked at #7 just this past week, Formiga says he was caught off guard as the UFC recently asked if he was healthy enough to compete before the end of the year. He said no, and was let go a month later. Interestingly enough, Formiga says the UFC not only informed him of his release, they also said he is just one of many to be cut from the roster.
“They contacted my manager again last week and said they were going to cut 75 athletes, and I was one of them,” Formiga told MMA Fighting. “What am I going to do? If they decided to cut me, there’s nothing I can do.”
“The UFC was great for me, even though I never felt truly valued in the UFC. But it was a great opportunity in my life, a good time. Everything in life has a beginning and an end,” he said. “I was the only guy to beat the current champion. They just don’t give a f—k. If they wouldn’t value me, then I’ll find my value elsewhere. I’ll find out my true worth.”
The UFC has signed dozens of fighters recently, with many coming from their Contender Series to fill up cards with cheaper talent. With Dana White recently stating that the UFC roster is “very inflated” and the “biggest” in UFC history, this news about the huge amount of incoming cuts isn’t that surprising.
A couple of months ago, White confirmed that more DWCS signings means more cuts from the others in the roster. We’ll have to see which fighters they actually release in the coming weeks, but like Formiga, it seems almost inevitable that more ranked contenders would again be released in favor of newer, cheaper options.