Former UFC bantamweight fighter Farid Basharat says that the promotion told his team that he was a boring fighter.
Despite a 16-0 MMA record, including an impressive 7-0 mark inside the Octagon, the UFC released Basharat instead of giving him a new contract.
The decision to cut Basharat has left many fans scratching their heads, as it’s odd to see the UFC let go of a 29-year-old undefeated fighter in his prime.
UFC president Dana White has only hinted that Basharat’s release was a decision made by the matchmakers, though he didn’t elaborate any more than that.
But while White hasn’t said so publicly, Basharat says that the UFC brass spoke to his management and told them that they thought he was a boring fighter.
Farid Basharat Says UFC Thought He Was Boring
Speaking to UFC Hall of Famer Demetrious Johnson, Basharat said that the UFC told his manager that they thought he was a boring fighter after his decision wins over Chris Gutierrez and Jean Matsumoto.
“The UFC informed him they weren’t fans of his style following his fight with Chris Gutierrez last year… Afterward, Basharat’s manager called the UFC to get their thoughts, only to be told they still found the fight boring.”
“The UFC informed him they weren’t fans of his style following his fight with Chris Gutierrez last year… Afterward, Basharat’s manager called the UFC to get their thoughts, only
Farid Basharat Wasn’t Finishing His Fights
While Basharat was winning all of his fights, he wasn’t finishing many of them. In fact, out of his seven UFC victories, only one of his fights ended with a finish: an arm-triangle choke victory over Kleydson Rodrigues in 2023. That’s it.
We all know that the UFC matchmakers prefer fighters who finish their fights, which makes sense, since the UFC is an entertainment product at the end of the day. But at the same time, the promotion also prides itself on employing the best MMA fighters in the world, so it’s a bit weird when a 16-0 undefeated fighter gets his walking papers.
Regardless, although Basharat is hoping that the UFC changes its mind about him and brings him back, it seems clear that the organization has soured on him and has no interest in giving him another fight in the UFC.
Farid Basharat Says UFC Told His Team He Was a Boring Fighter