Boston-After Reza Madadi was sentenced to an 18-month prison sentence earlier this week, it was only a matter of time before he was cut from the UFC roster.
The promotion had suspended his contract while Madadi awaited sentencing, but at the post-press conference media scrum following UFC Fight Night 26, UFC President Dana White informed the media the 35-year-old Iranian-born lightweight was going to be released from the organization.
“If [Madadi] stole a bunch of handbags and was convicted of it, I’m sure he’s going to be cut,” White responded when asked about the situation.
News of the release comes one day after Madadi was sentenced to prison by a Swedish court for his role in an aggravated burglary in his home country. In reports released by MMAytt (in Swedish) and MMA Fighting, Medadi was one of three men who smashed the glass on the front door of an upscale department store and stole a collection of handbags worth over $150,000.
Prior to the crime, Madadi had been successful in two of his three showings under the UFC banner. In his most recent outing against TUF alum Michael Johnson at UFC on Fuel TV 9 in Stockholm, “Mad Dog” earned the victory by finishing the Team Blackzilians fighter via d’arce choke in the third round.
Duane Finley is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. All quotes are obtained firsthand unless noted otherwise.
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