The UFC has cut five fighters from its roster.
Sources confirmed to MMAFighting.com that Igor Pokrajac, Tom Niinimaki, Sean Soriano, Mike Rhodes and Rodrigo Damm have been released from their contracts after suffering consecutive losses.
Pokrajac (25-12, 1 no-contest) leaves the promotion after going winless over the past five fights. The Croatian light heavyweight, who won three in a row at one point of his UFC career, lost to Marcos Rogerio de Lima, Rafael Cavalcante, Ryan Jimmo, Joey Beltran and Vinny Magalhaes. His decision loss to Beltran was later overturned to a no-contest after his opponent tested positive for banned substances. He was 4-7 with one no-contest in his UFC tenure.
Niinimaki (21-8-1) entered the UFC on a high note, improving his win streak to 12 with a surprising victory over grappling wizard Rani Yahya, but the Finnish featherweight failed to win any of his next fights. After first-round submission losses to Chas Skelly and Niklas Backstrom, “Stoneface” tapped to promotional newcomer Renato Carneiro in December.
Damm (12-9), who once fought Gilbert Melendez for the Strikeforce lightweight championship, entered the UFC after being part of TUF Brazil’s first edition in 2012. He tapped Anistavio Gasparzinho at the TUF Finale event at UFC 147, but then went 2-4 in the net six fights, dropping the last three to Rashid Magomedov, Al Iaquinta and Evan Dunham.
Soriano (8-3) signed with the UFC as an undefeated featherweight prospect from Blackzilians, taking on Japanese veteran Tatsuya Kawajiri in his first UFC fight, but leaves the promotion after going 0-3 in fights with “Crusher”, Chas Skelly and Charles Rosa.
Rhodes (6-4), a former RFA welterweight champion, was also cut from the promotion following losses in all of his appearances inside the Octagon. After decision losses to Robert Whittaker and George Sullivan, the 25-year-old fighter from Roufusport was finished by Erick Silva in 75 seconds in December.