Bryan Battle is no longer a UFC fighter.
Battle, who made his UFC debut in August 2021 after winning The Ultimate Fighter, was cut from Dana White‘s promotion this week after missing weight for the second successive time.
‘The Butcher’ was meant to fight Nursulton Ruziboev this past weekend in Chicago at UFC 319, but the bout was scrapped at the last minute when Battle missed weight by 4lbs.
Ruziboev had made the non-title weight limit at middleweight of 186lbs, but Battle tipped the scales at 190lbs.
And this seems to have left UFC executives with no other option but to release Battle from their roster.
What happened to Bryan Battle in UFC?
UFC officials confirmed to MMA Fighting on Wednesday that Battle had been let go from his contract with the promotion.
It was the second time the 30-year-old American had missed weight in the same number of fights under the UFC banner, so White must’ve felt he had no other choice.
“I haven’t thought about it yet, but we will get home and figure it out,” White said at the UFC 319 post-fight press conference, speaking on Battle’s future, before he decided to release ‘The Butcher’ from his promotion.
Battle had come in 5lbs over the welterweight limit for his fight with Randy Brown at UFC 310 in December – the last time he appeared in the Octagon.
The fight was allowed to continue, and Battle secured a split decision victory.
However, his repeated actions eight months later at UFC 319 were evidently a step too far for his bosses.
UFC 319 then witnessed Khamzat Chimaev dominate Dricus du Plessis to claim the middleweight title, while Lerone Murphy and Carlos Prates both scored insane spinning back elbow knockouts on the main card.
Bryan Battle's UFC record
- Def. Randy Brown via split decision at UFC 310 in December 2024
- Def. Kevin Jousset via KO (punches) at UFC Fight Night in September 2024
- No-contest. Ange Loosa at UFC Fight Night in March 2024
- Def. AJ Fletcher via submission at UFC Fight Night in September 2023
- Def. Gabe Green via KO (punch) at UFC Fight Night in May 2023
- Loss. Rinat Fakhretdinov via unanimous decision at UFC Fight Night in December 2022
- Def. Takashi Sato via KO (kick) at UFC Fight Night in August 2022
- Def. Tresean Gore via unanimous decision at UFC Fight Night in February 2022
- Def. Gilbert Urbina via submission at UFC Fight Night in August 2021
Battle was riding a four-fight win streak ahead of the Chicago card, with two wins sandwiched either side of a no-contest bout in March 2024 against Ange Loosa, who was inadvertently eye poked.
‘The Butcher’ submitted Gilbert Urbina on his UFC debut and won his next two fights via unanimous decision and KO.
He then suffered his first defeat in the UFC in December 2022 to Rinat Fakhretdinov, who remains undefeated in MMA’s premier promotion.
Battle was unranked at middleweight and welterweight, but his release from the UFC will no doubt feel like a huge low blow.
He missed weight three times during his four-year spell in the UFC, and will now have rival promotions like PFL and Oktagon looking for his signature.
Battle leaves the UFC with a record of 7-1 and one no contest.