Signings, exits, returns etc

[wandshogun09]

Yeah that’s even worse than the Netflix thing. They were only gonna be occasional shows anyway. Coker’s expecting to run regular shows with a roster of who exactly? Not even gonna bother talking about this GFL farce 🤣 

[jimufctna24]

2 hours ago, Egg Shen said:

Speaking of which, who the hell is Scott Coker gonna sign for his new promotion? That's gonna be run as a full time thing, its gonna be tough trying to fill a decent roster.

Bader vs Fedor 3 incoming. 

[wandshogun09]

Roberto Soldic has signed with the UFC. Former two weight KSW champ, was the last man to beat Dricus Du Plessis before Khamzat did it last year, knocked out Mamed Khalidov, went to a split decision loss against Yaroslav Amosov. Still only 31 so could potentially make some noise. Good stuff. 

[jimufctna24]

8 hours ago, wandshogun09 said:

Roberto Soldic has signed with the UFC. Former two weight KSW champ, was the last man to beat Dricus Du Plessis before Khamzat did it last year, knocked out Mamed Khalidov, went to a split decision loss against Yaroslav Amosov. Still only 31 so could potentially make some noise. Good stuff. 

Ahhh, the dude who fights similarly to Cro Cop. Hope he does well.

 

[wandshogun09]

The lads.

[Egg Shen]

One @wandshogun09was keeping tabs on...

 

[wandshogun09]

Where he belongs. Where I won’t be watching.

[BigJag]

How much of this is a political decision? Do the UFC often release fighters with a winning record?

 

[Dai]

6 of his 7 wins were decisions, so its just another in a long line of examples where the UFC is being loud and clear that they want 'entertaining' fighters over everything else. That is why fighters on big losing streaks stay around, and multiple winning streak fighters dont get their contracts renewed.

[wandshogun09]

Yeah not really a surprise that. Whether it’s right or fair or what, or whether you agree with it, we know it’s how the UFC operate and Farid wasn’t the most entertaining fighter to watch, despite the unbeaten record. Although he did have the one cracking fight against Jean Matsumoto back in February, his other fights in the UFC were all instantly forgettable. Still, that one good fight with Matsumoto is one more than MVP managed in his turd of a UFC stint.

His last fight in July was the last on his contract and they just chose not to renew it. I couldn’t remember anything about that fight, just looked back at the thread now and I called them not renewing his contract back then. Fair or harsh, the writing was on the wall for Farid, I think. 

On 7/15/2026 at 12:34 AM, wandshogun09 said:

Farid Basharat stays unbeaten but it wasn’t the best fight to watch. Did think Garza gave a solid account of himself in defeat though. To come in on just a few days notice against a tricky, undefeated opponent, he did pretty well all things considered. Heard Basharat saying this was the last fight on his UFC contract and, despite being undefeated, it honestly wouldn’t shock me if they decided to not re-sign him and just cut him loose. It’d be harsh and I’m not saying I’d agree with it, but we all know by now that his style isn’t one they like. They also let his brother Javid go earlier this year and, while Javid wasn’t unbeaten like Farid and he did have some losses, he was coming off a win when they binned him. Wouldn’t be surprised at all if they get rid.

 

[Egg Shen]

I genuinely never understand the outrage when this happens.

[Carbomb]

Genuine question: do you not, at all? I understand having a preference or a leaning, but not understanding why other fans who have a different perspective on the sport might have an issue with an elite, undefeated fighter being released? You surely do at least a bit, no?

The thing that annoys me about this sort of thing is that it's meant to be a professional sport. Yes, entertainment is important, but ability is important too. If you're cutting undefeated fighters because their styles are boring, you're basically saying you don't care about being a promotion where the absolute best compete, and a big part of the appeal of sports is the best people fighting the best. Whatever the sport you watch, there is always room for a sportsperson or team that grinds out audience-unfriendly results. Imagine if the FA expelled Arsenal in the early 90s for being boring as sin to watch, or UEFA for banning Greece from the Euros for shit-housing their way to the trophy in 2004? And I daresay there are a lot of people who hated Mayweather's style - imagine if he'd had his boxing licence revoked for being such a defensive fighter? Or Steve Davis in the 80s missing out on all those world championships.

Also, entertainment can be a highly subjective thing. At the moment, it seems the criteria for "fun" in MMA are decided purely by one man who's come to think that Power Slap is entertaining, and insists on pushing it. I dread to think what the Dana White of now might have thought about, say, Demian Maia.

As far as I'm concerned, if there's a problem, that's on the promotion. A fighter's career is based on his winning and earning the purses that come from it. Why should they change up what works for them if it's going to affect their numbers and therefore their earnings? If promoters don't like fighters grinding, they should change the rules to force them to change it up, not bitch about it and try to shame them. If anything, that's actively showing favouritism to strikers, which is corrupt.

It's like those fighters who complain about wrestlers and grapplers - it's mixed martial arts. If you don't like grappling, do kickboxing instead. Don't allow grappling when you know what it involves, then complain when grapplers grapple. 

I remember wand on here talking about how a big part of WEC's appeal was that they set everything up to make it as likely as possible that the matches would be mayhem, and draw people in, with the ruleset and the small cage. So clearly it can be done.

[jimufctna24]

I haven't seen any of Basharat's fights, and the highlight reels of his I've just watched on YouTube revealed little.

What is his style?

[Dai]

From a completely purists/sporting point of view, then getting rid of undefeated, therefore very successful fighters doesnt sit right. The problem is, the UFC lives in its own world, so they set the rules. You said if theres a problem, then thats on the promotion. But the issue there is, they do see this as a problem and their solution is to cut the 'boring' fighters. 

The problem is, MMA as a sport cannot be compared to any other i dont think, not even boxing. So all the analogies about boring but successful examples cannot be compared to MMA, such is the strength of the monopoly the UFC has. Things like football, there are millions of people who are fans and loyal to their team, who will watch week in and week out regardless of entertainment, because its the result that matters. UFC doesn't have that, and in a bizarre way its not actually the result that is the most important thing any more, its being entertained. When they have spent years stripping away all of the star power/individuality of their fighters as they want UFC to be the draw, they have essentially become WWE, where entertainment overrides everything.

Long and rambling post, but I guess it boils down to 'Would the UFC make more money by being purely results based and 100% fair?', and the answer is no. 

It has also been this way for ages too, so no fighter going into the UFC can be shocked or feel hard done by if sonething like this happens. Unfortunately its not a UFC problem, and they are not going to adapt their attitude to accommodate 'decision guys', to the detriment of their bottom line, just to increase the pure sporting aspect, which 99% of people who watch UFC dont care about 

[Egg Shen]

On 10/16/2026 at 1:21 PM, Carbomb said:

Genuine question: do you not, at all? 

Not really. Bashrat will be fine, he'll sign with MVP or Coker and continue his career, he'll probably be better off financially too. 

Maybe it's because I don't exclusively watch the UFC and I recognise that some of the best fighters in the world fight and do well outside of the promotion. I'll follow Bashrat to wherever he goes next and watch his next fight, if anything this increases the interest in him. I'd love to see him go smash it elsewhere and prove the UFC wrong for cutting him.