Demian Maia removed from UFC roster after fighting out contract

It’s looking less and less likely that Maia will be getting that final farewell UFC bout he’s been looking for. The former world champion…

By: Zane Simon | 2 years ago
Demian Maia removed from UFC roster after fighting out contract
Bloody Elbow 2.0 | Anton Tabuena

It’s looking less and less likely that Maia will be getting that final farewell UFC bout he’s been looking for. The former world champion grappler and multiple time title contender recently revealed that he was aiming for a bout against Donald Cerrone or one of the Diaz brothers as one last bout in his UFC (and likely MMA) career.

Even after Dana White suggested the 43-year-old’s time with the promotion was probably over after his loss to Belal Muhammad, Maia seemed to still be holding out some hope that he and the UFC could come to terms.

“It has happened other times, we’ve all seen it before, the company changing their stance and plans. It depends a lot on what happens in the market,” Maia told MMA Fighting recently, adding that he hoped the UFC would be able to return to Brazil for a card sometime in the not too distant future.

The chances of that seem just that much slimmer, however, following reports that Maia has not only fought out his contract with the world’s largest MMA promotion, but that the UFC’s latest round of updates to their online roster included the removal of Maia’s profile from their “Active” section. It’s a move that usually means an athlete’s time in the Octagon has come to a final close.

MMAJunkie’s John Morgan reported the news, along with the removal of longtime ranked bantamweight contender Jimmie Rivera. Those reported roster trimming moves are also joined by flyweights Ryan Benoit and Jerome Rivera, along with longtime lightweight action fighter Yancy Medeiros and recent featherweight signing Justin Jaynes—who gained notoriety for betting his entire fight purse on himself for a recent bout. Stay tuned to Bloody Elbow for more news and updates on all the UFC’s moves.

Share this story

About the author
Zane Simon
Zane Simon

Zane Simon is a senior editor, writer, and podcaster for Bloody Elbow. He has worked with the website since 2013, taking on a wide variety of roles. A lifelong combat sports fan, Zane has trained off & on in both boxing and Muay Thai. He currently hosts the long-running MMA Vivisection podcast, which he took over from Nate Wilcox & Dallas Winston in 2015, as well as the 6th Round podcast, started in 2014. Zane is also responsible for developing and maintaining the ‘List of current UFC fighters’ on Bloody Elbow, a resource he originally developed for Wikipedia in 2010.

More from the author

Recent Stories