The UFC has officially released a 12-year veteran fighter who competed against multiple UFC Hall of Famers, parting ways with two fighters this week. This veteran had been on the roster for over a decade. The news comes amid a busy 2026 schedule, following UFC Fight Night in Winnipeg where Mike Malott defeated Gilbert Burns, and ahead of this weekend's UFC Fight Night headlined by Aljamain Sterling vs. Youssef Zalal in Las Vegas. It highlights roster turnover in a competitive landscape. Expect the veteran to seek opportunities elsewhere, potentially impacting mid-tier divisions.
Reports have emerged, though not yet officially confirmed, that the UFC has parted ways with a 12-year roster veteran who competed against multiple fighters now enshrined in the UFC Hall of Fame. The news is one of two fighter releases the promotion has processed this week, underscoring the ongoing roster churn that accompanies a packed 2026 schedule.
Details on the identity of the released fighter remain unverified, but the report notes the individual spent over a decade on the UFC roster — a tenure that placed them in the cage with some of the sport's most decorated names. Should the separation be confirmed, the veteran would likely pursue opportunities with rival promotions or regional circuits, with the potential to shake up competition in the mid-tier divisions.
The release news arrives in the wake of UFC Fight Night in Winnipeg, where Gilbert Burns dropped to 22-10 following a loss to Mike Malott. The 39-year-old Brazilian welterweight, now ranked thirteenth in his division, has long been a fixture at 170 pounds. Fighting out of Kill Cliff FC in an orthodox stance, Burns stands five-foot-ten with a 71-inch reach and has averaged 3.15 significant strikes per minute across his career, supplemented by 2.12 takedowns per 15 minutes.
Attention now turns to this weekend's UFC Fight Night in Las Vegas, headlined by a featherweight clash between Aljamain Sterling and Youssef Zalal. Sterling, ranked fourth at 145 pounds, carries a 26-5 record and brings elite output to the division, landing 4.45 significant strikes per minute at 52 percent accuracy for Serra-Longo Fight Team. The 36-year-old New Yorker stands five-foot-seven with a 71-inch reach.
Zalal, nicknamed The Moroccan Devil, enters at 18-6-1 and holds the twelfth spot in the featherweight rankings. The 29-year-old Factory X product is a switch-stance fighter who stands five-foot-ten with a 72-inch reach, landing 3.03 significant strikes per minute at 50 percent accuracy while also averaging 2.17 takedowns and 1.4 submission attempts per 15 minutes.
Why it matters
- The unconfirmed veteran release signals continued roster tightening as the UFC manages a loaded 2026 calendar
- Burns' loss in Winnipeg puts his top-15 welterweight standing under pressure at 39 years old
- The Sterling-Zalal headliner carries divisional weight, with a top-four featherweight putting his ranking on the line against a rising contender
