5 ex-UFC fighters who left the promotion on a bad note

Not every MMA fighter can retire as a champion. Khabib Nurmagomedov, Georges St-Pierre, and Henry Cejudo are just a few names in the UFC to experience that luxury.

The UFC has seen some of its best champions and prospects fall from grace and leave the promotion on a less than desirable note. A two-division champion was released for too many run-ins with the law and a lengthy set of back-to-back losses. One of the best female champions, credited for remarkable strides within the women's MMA league, sought a new career path after suffering just two losses.

There are multiple reasons why a fighter could be released. Aside from prior examples, one can be let go for banned drug use, injuries, contract conflicts, etc. Most fans were left shocked and disappointed by some of the promotion's most profound releases. But for some, it was only a matter of time before certain fighters saw the end of their careers.

#5. BJ Penn

BJ Penn was a long-time UFC veteran from 2001 up until his release in 2019.

Among his many accomplishments, he ranks among the few elite fighters who are two-division champions. In 2004, he challenged Matt Hughes for the welterweight title and performed one of the biggest upsets in the promotion's history. Penn was the betting underdog(+200) but defeated Hughes in the first round via a rear-naked choke. Then in 2008, he was victorious over Joe Stevenson in the same fashion, except in round two, for the vacant lightweight throne.

Nicknamed 'The Prodigy', Penn's MMA record had a beautiful beginning. But the glory days began to fade as the BJJ specialist started losing fights. In a total of 11 fights from 2010 to 2019, Penn was the winner of only one bout.

His future in the organization was already in question, and the situation worsened when a video surfaced of Penn getting arrested for a street fight. The following month, Dana White announced the Hall-of-Fame fighter's release from the company.