Make no mistake about it, just because you receive a UFC contract doesn’t mean the promotion is going to keep you around if you under-perform.
Such is the case with many fighters, be them fan favorites or not. You want to keep your job as a fighter for the world’s largest fight promotion, you better win.
Which is why the UFC has recently released seven fighters who are all coming off losses inside the cage.
Phil Defries, Chris Spang, Jimmy Quinlan, Collin Hart, Kevin Casey, Gilbert Smith and Adam Cella were all released by the UFC within the last week.
While Quinlan, Hart, Casey, Smith and Cella were one-and-done following post-TUF 17 losses, Spang, a Strikeforce import was also released after his UFC debut loss at UFC on FUEL TV 9.
De Fries, went 2-3 inside the UFC’s heavyweight division, most recently suffering a quick KO loss to Matt Mitrione at UFC on FUEL TV 9.