UFC CEO Dana White and his team have been very active in adding and subtracting fighters from the promotion’s roster in the fourth quarter of 2024.
That trend continued on Friday, November 8, with the UFC dumping light heavyweight Caio Machado and heavyweight Rodrigo Nascimento.
Machado’s release was not a surprise. He came close to predicting it before his split-decision loss to Brendson Ribeiro at UFC Edmonton on November 2. Machado told media members before the event that he knew he was fighting for his job.
Because he came out on the short end of the stick, seeing him move on is not a shock. Machado’s latest loss was his third straight, which dropped his professional MMA record to 8-4-1.
Machado earned a spot on the UFC roster with a unanimous decision win over Kevin Szaflarski during Season 7 of the Dana White Contender Series in August 2023. Unfortunately for Machado, he never secured a win as a part of the main roster.
The loss was especially tough for Machado because he put in tons of work to transform his body.
At 30 years old, Machado’s career isn’t over, but he is faced with free agency, and he’s not in a position of power as he is riding a three-fight losing streak.
Nascimento is another fighter who lost in Edmonton. His release shouldn’t be a significant shock either, as the UFC didn’t renew Alexandr Romanov’s contract after the Edmonton card, and he’s the guy who beat Nascimento.
Nascimento and Romanov came into their fight ranked in the UFC’s Top 15 at heavyweight, but a significant purge is happening in that division. Some have suggested that the UFC is ridding itself of poorly conditioned heavyweights, especially those who haven’t had much success or have not established themselves as a draw like Derrick Lewis.
Popular MMA X account ACD MMA said the promotion is cutting “dad-bod” heavyweights.
As Romanov and Nascimento exited the Top 15 and the UFC, they were replaced by Waldo Cortes Acosta and Mick Parkin.
A steady diet of young heavyweights was recently added to the UFC’s roster following Season 8 of the DWCS. Removing fighters like Romanov and Nascimento appears to be a signal that the UFC is moving to get younger and leaner with its heavyweight division.
Other UFC News
Speaking of DWCS and new fighters added to the UFC roster, UFC Vegas 100 will feature a few new faces on Saturday in Las Vegas at the Apex. No heavyweights are in action, but former ONE champion Reinier de Ridder makes his promotional debut against Gerald Meerschaert.
DWCS Season 8 standout Mansur Abdul-Malik makes his main-roster debut against Dusko Todorovic. Another Season 8 winner, Cortavious Romious, will also get his first scrap on the big show when he faces Gaston Bolanos.
Here is a look at the entire card.
Where to Watch: ESPN+
- Neil Magny vs. Carlos Prates
- Gerald Meerschaert vs Reinier de Ridder
- Luana Pinheiro vs Gillian Robertson
- Mansur Abdul-Malik vs Dusko Todorovic
- Karolina Kowalkiewicz vs Denise Gomes
- Gaston Bolaños vs Cortavious Romious
- Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos vs Zach Scroggins
- Matthew Semelsberger vs Charles Radtke
- Cody Stamann vs Da’Mon Blackshear
- Tresean Gore vs Antonio Trocoli
- Melissa Mullins vs Klaudia Sygula
Be on the lookout for post-event coverage following UFC Vegas 100.
