“22 years young. My career is just getting started.” —Kay Hansen
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) will not re-sign strawweight up-and-comer Kay Hansen following her loss to “Contender Series” standout Piera Rodriguez at the UFC 273 pay-per-view (PPV) event last weekend in Jacksonville, Fla., in what marked the third straight defeat for the 22 year-old Invicta FC veteran.
MMA Fighting confirmed the roster change on Wednesday.
“22 years old fighting on a stage that most only DREAM of,” Hansen wrote on social media. “Obviously I’m extremely heartbroken. I may fail. I may stumble. But you bet your fucking ass I’ll be back. I have a lifetime ahead of me. The sky is the limit. To my ride or dies, I fucking love you to death. I appreciate and love every single one of you. Anyone talking shit, I’m 22 living a life you can only wish for. I work my ass of and live a very disciplined life. I will live up to my full potential. I’ll be back.”
Hansen missed weight for UFC 273 and lost 20 percent of her purse.
Fortunately for Hansen, time is on her side. With so many other promotions to choose from, including Professional Fighters League (PFL) and Bellator MMA, fans are likely to see the Californian back inside the cage sooner, rather than later — and don’t be surprised to see a second run with UFC at some point down the road.