UFC has chosen not to renew the contract of undefeated Russian welterweight Rinat Fakhretdinov, marking an unexpected conclusion to what appeared to be a promising tenure with the promotion.
The 34-year-old MMA star addressed the situation directly with his followers through a video statement, clarifying the circumstances surrounding his departure from the organization.
“Many questions are coming in about the UFC. Yes, the information is accurate, but there’s one small correction. No one fired me. The contract simply expired and for certain reasons it wasn’t renewed.”
Fakhretdinov went on to hint at complexities behind the decision that weren’t immediately apparent to the public.
“There are small nuances that I won’t tell you about here. You know, it would need a whole podcast, a whole interview to tell you all the details. And probably I’ll tell it to someone one time so I don’t have to repeat it a million times.”
Fakhretdinov’s departure comes despite maintaining an impressive 6-0-1 record during his time with the promotion, which began in June 2022. The welterweight captured attention throughout his UFC run with dominant performances, including a first-round submission victory over Kevin Lee and his most recent performance against Andreas Gustafsson in September 2025, where he secured a technical knockout in just 54 seconds.
The news was first reported by Sherdog contributor Tom Feely, who noted the removal of several competitors from the UFC’s official roster page. Nolan King of subsequently confirmed that Fakhretdinov had indeed completed his contractual obligations and would not be returning to the promotion.
MMA analyst Luke Thomas weighed in on the situation, offering perspective on the business realities behind such decisions. Responding to commentary about reduced representation of Russian athletes on the roster due to revenue generation concerns, Thomas stated:
“This is totally reasonable and correct by Andy, but it should be understood that this is the central way their business works. Whatever else is told to Congress or media allies about the supremacy of merit, the genuine reality is much more a mix of competing interests.”
Fakhretdinov appeared philosophical about his future, revealing that opportunities had already begun materializing from other organizations.
“The offers are already pouring in, and with very different pay.”
The Russian MMA star emphasized that financial considerations weren’t his primary motivation for competing.
“I’m not in this sport for the money in principle. I just like to compete.”
“We’ll think, we’ll see. Whether to continue, not to continue, to leave, to do our own things. We have plenty to do. We’re definitely not worried.”
Despite his departure, Fakhretdinov expressed confidence in the quality of performances he delivered during his tenure.
“We competed with dignity there. And believe me, we hadn’t said everything yet, of course. We would have… Well, apparently this also bothered someone.”
The welterweight’s UFC journey included notable victories over Bryan Battle by unanimous decision, a majority draw against Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos, and decision wins over Nicolas Dalby and Carlos Leal.
Along with Fakhretdinov, the promotion also parted ways with Loik Radzhabov and Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos, as their contracts reached their conclusion.
Rinat Fakhretdinov has been cut from the UFC ❌
He was 6-0-1 in the promotion and got a finish in his last fight 🤨pic.twitter.com/maZGxY9Ey0
— MMA On Point (@mmaonpoint) December 23, 2025
