UFC Cuts 2020: All the fighters who were cut from the promotion

The UFC recently released former Middleweight title contender Yoel Romero after the fighter spent seven years with the company.

Yoel Romero's UFC run has come to an unexpected end.

Romero and the promotion have parted ways, multiple sources told ESPN. Romero's manager Malki Kawa also confirmed he is no longer under contract with the UFC.

According to sources, Romero had three fights left on his deal.
— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) December 5, 2020

UFC president Dana White addressed the matter at UFC Vegas 16 press conference, and clarified that the release of Yoel Romero was not a one-off incident.

The promotion plans on releasing as many as 60 fighters by the end of the year, Dana White said. He cited an 'inflated roster' to be the reason behind the decision.

“It’s not just Yoel. We’re going to go through some serious cuts here at the end of the year. We’re probably going to have 60 cuts before the first of the year. Yoel has lost four of his last five. He’s 44 years old. Our roster is very inflated right now. We’re going to have some big cuts coming before the end of the year. You’re going to see a lot of names going here in the next several weeks. … These are the tough decisions you have to make.”

Dana says they are probably going to cut 60 fighters by the end of the year.#UFC pic.twitter.com/nhyduiqm1A
— Jed I. Goodman (@jedigoodman) December 6, 2020

Cutting down on the roster is not an alien thing for the UFC to do, but this year has been different. More than 70 fighters have already been released in 2020, and per Dana White's comments, 60 more are to come.

After Yoel Romero, Rachael Ostovich, Cole Smith, Collin Huckbody, Mark De La Rosa, Gadzhimurad Antigulov, Saparbek Safarov, and Luiz Eduardo Garagorri have also been released by UFC.

Fighters the UFC released in 2020

Anderson Silva - Released in November
Austin Springer - Released in September
Ben Saunders - Released in January
Ben Sosoli - Released in October
Bevon Lewis- Released in November
Brad Katona - Released in February
Brandon Davis - Released in January
Callan Potter - Released in August
Carlos Huachin - Released in January
Charles Byrd - Retired in June
Cole Smith - Released in December
Corey Anderson - Released by UFC and Signed with Bellator MMA in August
Cyril Asker - Released in March
Daniel Spitz - Released in January
Darko Stošić - Released in January
Desmond Green - Released in January
Dong Hyun Ma - Released in March
Duda Santana - Released in September
Evan Dunham - Released in August
Gadzhimurad Antigulov - Released in December
Gina Mazany - Released in January
Grigory Popov - Released in January
Hector Aldana - Released in January
Henry Cejudo - Retired in May
Isabella de Pádua - Released in March
James Vick - Released in October
Jeff Hughes - Released in October
Jin Soon Son - Released in January
Jodie Esquibel - Released in March
John Dodson - Released in September
John Gunther - Released in July
John Phillips - Released in November
Juan Adams - Released in January
Júnior Albini - Released in January
Jussier Formiga - Released in November
Justin Ledet - Released in November
Kalindra Faria - Released in February
Khadis Ibragimov - Released in October
Khalid Murtazaliev - Released in March
Kyle Bochniak - Released in January
Kyle Prepolec - Released in March
Lucie Pudilová - Released in January
Luiz Eduardo Garagorri - Released in December
Luke Jumeau - Released in January
Iuri Alcântara - Released in October
Mara Romero Borella - Released in October
Marcos Rosa Mariano - Released in March
Martin Bravo - Released in January
Mark De La Rosa - Released in December
Matt Wiman - Released in December
Matthew Lopez - Released in March
Max Rohskopf - Released in August
Nad Narimani - Released in August
Nathan Coy - Released in February
Oskar Piechota - Released in June
Paige VanZant - Released by UFC and Signed with Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship in August
Polo Reyes - Released in January
Ray Borg - Released in August
Rachael Ostovich - Released in December
Ricardo Lamas - Retired in September
Roman Bogatov - Released in August
Rustam Khabilov - Released by UFC and Signed with Bellator MMA in October
Salim Touahri - Released in January
Saparbek Safarov - Released in December
Talita Bernardo - Released in March
Thiago Alves - Released in January
Tonya Evinger - Released in March
Wuliji Buren - Released in January
Yaozong Hu - Released in March
Yoel Romero - Released in December
Zelim Imadaev - Released in October

There were a few others who refused to re-sign with UFC such as Ismail Naurdiev and veteran Fabricio Werdum, and some others who chose to retire this year. But other than them, the list of people the UFC let go is quite long.

On their official website, the UFC lists a total of 724 active fighters (117 women and 607 men).