5 UFC stars who we haven't heard from in a while
With a total of well over 400 fighters on its roster, right now, the UFC is home to more fighters than ever before, with more seemingly signing for the promotion every month.
The amount of fighters now competing in the UFC means that it’s very easy to forget about certain athletes, even highly exciting ones, if they don’t step into the octagon for a while.
Right now there are a number of fighters on the promotion’s roster that we haven’t heard from in a while. Given that some of them are high-level contenders, fans can only hope that this will change in the near future.
Here are five UFC stars that we haven’t heard from in a while.
#5. Gregor Gillespie – UFC lightweight
Whenever the UFC’s most dangerous lightweight contenders are spoken about, a predictable list of names usually comes to mind, with the likes of Islam Makhachev, Beneil Dariush and Michael Chandler firmly at the forefront.
However, despite being ranked as the No.8 lightweight fighter in the world right now, one name that doesn’t tend to crop up is Gregor Gillespie. In fact, it’s fair to say that it’s been a while since anyone heard from ‘The Gift’ at this point.
The last time Gillespie stepped into the octagon was back in May 2021, when he defeated Carlos Diego Ferreira in the second round via TKO. The win earned the former NCAA Division I national wrestling champion a $50k bonus, but since then, he has not even been linked to a fight.
The Gift Gregor Gillespie gets it done in the second round! 👏
#UFCVegas26 https://t.co/xvv1D3M4lm
Quite why this is is anyone’s guess, as there have been no reports of Gillespie suffering an injury or getting into a contract dispute with Dana White and company.
Perhaps the best explanation is that, despite his talents, ‘The Gift’ has never been the most vocal fighter on the roster when it comes to climbing the ladder into title contention. Add this to the fact that on paper, he’s a nightmare match for many of the promotion’s 155lbers and it’s no surprise that not many want to talk about him.
However, Arman Tsarukyan has repeatedly called Gillespie out and accused 'The Gift' of turning him down. If that's the case, it's no wonder the UFC isn't in a rush to grant someone who's turned down fights a matchup.
With any luck, though, Gillespie will return to action later in 2022. If he can continue on his current path, then the lightweight division will have another very viable title contender competing in the octagon.