Derek Brunson, a long-time Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) middleweight contender, has reportedly been released from the promotion. This comes as a surprise, as he was scheduled to face Roman Dolidze at UFC 295 on November 11 in New York City’s Madison Square Garden. MMAFighting was the first to report this news on Thursday.
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A Successful Career in the UFC
For the past 11 years, Brunson has been a part of the Las Vegas-based company, stepping inside the Octagon 21 times and holding a record of 14-7 within the UFC. Known as one of the most consistent fighters in the middleweight division, Brunson has faced notable opponents such as Anderson Silva, Yoel Romero, Robert Whittaker, Israel Adesanya, Uriah Hall, and Darren Till throughout his UFC tenure.
Despite never securing a divisional crown, Brunson managed to rack up two impressive runs to the title, often serving as a roadblock for up-and-coming contenders in the 185-pound division.
Manager’s Statement on Brunson’s Release
Brunson’s long-time manager, Ali Abdelaziz, shared his thoughts on his client’s release from the UFC, stating, “Derek Brunson has been under the UFC umbrella for 11 years. He had an amazing career there. The last seven years he’s been in the Top 10 rankings. The UFC was amazing to him there, helped shape who he is today and I’m very grateful for the opportunity he was given. He has to move on and [I’m] looking forward to what comes next for him.”
As Brunson parts ways with the UFC, fans and fighters alike will be eager to see what the future holds for this talented middleweight contender and where his career will take him next.