The UFC is continuing to come under fire for letting go of one of its few in-form heavyweights.
Mixed martial arts’ leading promotion is no stranger to making surprising decisions regarding the roster. Just last year, undefeated flyweight contender Muhammad Mokaev was sent packing by Dana White and co.
The latest to fall victim to such a decision was Martin Buday, who exited the UFC as the No. 12-ranked contender in his division just days removed from a victory that left him 7-1 inside the Octagon.
A number of fans and analysts have questioned the call given the shortage of worthy heavyweight contenders right now, and one former fighter has now joined them.
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Josh Thomson critical of UFC for not re-signing heavyweight Martin Buday
Buday beat Marcus Almeida at UFC Abu Dhabi on July 26, spoiling the decorated Brazilian jiu-jitsu legend’s debut after he signed following a stint in ONE Championship. The fight was largely dull and left some disgruntled fans urging White to scrap the heavyweight division.
But they weren’t expecting the promotion to instead opt against re-signing the victor, who marks one of the few heavyweights who was amassing a strong run of victories during his climb up the ladder.
Among those critical of the decision is ex-UFC contender Josh Thomson, who told his former employers that they can’t claim to have the world’s best fighters while continuing to ‘push them away’.
“Let’s not pretend there is a ton of great heavyweights,” Thomson said on his Weighing In podcast.
“What I get upset about, though, is stop saying you have the best fighters in the world when you’re pushing away some of the best fighters. This guy is 7-1 in a weak heavyweight division where you need the best fighters.
“Have him fight the guys in the top seven, top eight,” Thomson continued. “If he wins, he wins. Maybe you get a great performance out of him that makes him something that he never would have been.
“Let’s see what happens. Let’s see if he rises to the occasion…you can sometimes find that little diamond in the rough by making them fight somebody that is gonna pull it out of them.
“It bothers me when they’re cutting guys that are good, who are beating UFC fighters, and they still let them go.”
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Martin Buday issued a statement on his shock UFC exit
Soon after reports of the controversial decision emerged, Buday issued a statement confirming his UFC exit on social media.
The Slovakian heavyweight put a positive spin on the position he finds himself in, but did not discuss what could come next for him in MMA.
“Yeah, it’s true,” Buday wrote on X.
“Yesterday we got a call that @ufc is not resigning us for the moment.
“Well, it is what it is, at least I’m leaving with my head up. Thank you.”
Some have quickly suggested that Buday could follow in the footsteps of other released UFC fighters by joining the PFL. Another heavyweight did just that this year, with Alexandr Romanov making a winning start to life away from the Octagon.