The UFC has signed and released a ton of fighters in 2025, and we’re just entering the second quarter of the year. One of the most recent fighters separated from the company is CJ Vergara, per Borrachinha Depot.
But others may be headed for a similar situation.
The veteran flyweight lost his third fight in a row on Saturday, March 29 in Mexico when he was submitted by Edgar Chairez in the first round. The loss came six months after Vergara was knocked out in the first round by Ramazan Temirov in October 2024.
Prior to that loss, Vergara missed weight for his clash with Asu Almabayev and lost the fight by unanimous decision. Vergara is 33 and owns a professional MMA record of 12-7-1. He has a 3-5 mark with the UFC.
Vergara struggled to make weight throughout much of his career with the UFC.
In fact, since earning a spot on the promotion’s main roster in September 2021 with a spectacular first-round KO win over Bruno Korea on Dana White’s Contender Series, Vergara missed weight three times.
To make matters worse, he lost all of those fights.
He’s young enough to make a run with another promotion and perhaps battle his way back to the UFC, but he’s facing an uphill battle.
Other UFC Fighters in Danger of Being Released
Saturday’s card at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas could be make or break for at least four fighters.
Rhys McKee is in his second stint with the UFC, and things haven’t gone his way either time. In 2020, McKee had two losses in the UFC: a first-round TKO loss to Khamzat Chimaev and a unanimous decision defeat to Alex Morono.
McKee went back to Cage Warriors, where he captured the organization’s welterweight title. The win and a title defense against Jim Wallhead in April 2023 got McKee another shot.
He’s lost back-to-back decisions to Ange Loosa and Chidi Njokuani. On Saturday, he clashes with Daniel Frunza. If McKee’s UFC record drops to 0-5, it may be the last time we see him in the Octagon.
Istela Nunes is in perhaps the most obvious must-win situation.
The 32-year-old Brazilian is on a brutal four-fight losing streak, which encompasses her entire UFC career. She hasn’t fought since July 2023, when she suffered a dislocated elbow against Victoria Dudakova.
In any case, at 6-5 and facing a potential five-fight losing streak, Nunes needs a win. She’ll be facing the streaking Loma Lookboonmee, which is a tough situation for Nunes.
Ode Osbourne is another fighter in a tough spot. When he faces Dana White’s Contender Series standout Luis Gurule, Osbourne will be trying to stave off a four-fight losing streak. If he loses to Gurule, it would not be a shock to see the UFC move on from him.
Osbourne has been stopped in two of his three losses, and while he’s had 10 fights with the UFC, he’s currently 4-6 in the promotion.
To put it plainly, like McKee and Nunes, Osbourne needs a win on Saturday in the worst way.
