After Yoel Romero was released, UFC President Dana White stated that the promotion was likely going to cut 60 plus fighters before the end of the year. He said we’d likely see some big names exit the UFC.
Since the Romero release, we haven’t seen a ton of high profile names get released from the UFC. We saw Rachael Ostovich be let go, however, that really isn’t that much of a surprise considering she’s lost a lot in her tenure.
One of the fighters that I’ve speculated about is Tyron Woodley. The former UFC welterweight champion has been completely dominated in three straight fights. Factoring that in with his age and he’s a prime release candidate.
Woodley doesn’t have the looks of someone who can be UFC champion again. Combining that also with the fact that he’s been a headache for Dana White and again, you have more reasons as to why he could get released.
Of course, there has been no official talk of this, but I’m just thinking of logical candidates. There are several other high profile fighters who could be released by the UFC. Let’s take a look at a few options.
Three big names the UFC could release
Shogun Rua
Mauricio “Shogun” Rua (27-12-1) could be one of the fighters that will be on the UFC chopping block. The former light heavyweight champion just turned 39 years old and really doesn’t have the looks of a top contender anymore.
Shogun was just stopped by Paul Craig at UFC 255. It was a really poor performance from Shogun and he ultimately tapped to strikes in the second round of the fight. Shogun has had a great run, but it’s clear that he’s nearing the end.
After the fight was over, Shogun said that he would think about retiring from the sport altogether. However, if he doesn’t want to retire, he might finish off his career with another promotion. If he wants to continue, he could be a fighter released by the UFC.
Mike Perry
There might not be a fighter who is more of PR nightmare for the UFC than Mike Perry (14-7). Outside of actually competing in the cage, Perry’s 2020 has consisted of domestic violence allegations, punching an old man in a bar, and getting rid of all his coaches.
His last two UFC fights, he’s been cornered by his girlfriend and another friend of his. Perry also badly missed weight for his last UFC fight. He’s incredibly fun to watch, however, he has a lot of issues. He also doesn’t appear to be taking his fighting career seriously.
I personally don’t think the UFC is going to cut Perry at the moment. Dana White seems to be a fan of watching him inside the cage. However, it’s very clear that Perry is on thin ice right now and I wouldn’t be shocked if things turned around and he was cut by the promotion.
Junior Dos Santos
Out of all the potential UFC roster cuts, this is the one I don’t want to see. However, it’s one that could happen. Former heavyweight champion, Junior Dos Santos (21-9) could find himself on the chopping block.
JDS is looking at a four-fight losing streak where he’s been finished in all four fights. There are moments in those fights where you can see glimpses of the former UFC champion. However, all four have reminded us that he’s no longer the same fighter.
I’m a massive fan of JDS as a person and a fighter. However, the reality is that he’s no longer a serious contender in the UFC’s heavyweight division. He appears focused on continuing to fight, but the UFC might not want him to continue with their promotion with that finish streak.