Out with the old, in with the new.
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) continues to trim its expansive roster of mixed martial arts (MMA) talent as the promotion welcomes another massive crop of Contender Series signees.
Nine fighters have recently disappeared from UFC’s active roster, meaning they were released from their respective contracts and/or the promotion decided not to offer them new deals.
The latest departures include Lyman Good, Saygid Izagakhmaev, Bruno Lopes, Bekzat Almakhan, Cody Gibson, Aoriqileng, Ravena Oliveira, Stewart Nicoll and Hailey Cowan.
NEW YORK, NY – NOVEMBER 01: Lyman Good poses on the scale during the UFC 244 weigh-ins at the Hulu Theatre at Madison Square Garden on November 1, 2019 in New York, New York. (Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images) Zuffa LLC via Getty Images
Good (21-6) has not competed inside the Octagon since dropping a unanimous decision to Belal Muhammad in June 2020. Injuries and personal family matters kept the longtime Welterweight sidelined for more than six years.
The 41-year-old was Bellator’s inaugural Welterweight champion and also appeared on The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 19.
Good exits UFC with a respectable 3-3 promotional record.
BAKU, AZERBAIJAN – JUNE 26: Bekzat Almakhan of Kazakstan poses on the scale during the UFC Fight Night official weigh-in at the Hilton Baku on June 26, 2026 in Baku, Azerbaijan. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC)
Of the nine fighters who lost their roster spots, Almakhan (12-4) is easily the most head-scratching.
Yes, he went 1-3 inside the Octagon, but he faced nothing but tough competition. Almakhan made his UFC debut against Umar Nurmagomedov and even dropped the then-undefeated contender early before losing a decision. He then knocked out two-time TUF winner Brad Katona (watch highlights) before suffering losses to Aleksandre Topuria and Jean Matsumoto, the latter coming in a highly competitive fight.
At just 29 years old, Almakhan could easily return to UFC after collecting a couple of victories on the regional scene.
ABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES – JULY 24: Cody Gibson walks to the cage before fighting in their bantamweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at Etihad Arena July 24, 2026 in Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)
Gibson (21-13) has now been released from UFC for the second time in his career.
“The Renegade” went 1-3 during his original run from 2014 to 2015 before spending nearly eight years fighting his way back. Gibson reached the TUF 31 finale in 2023, losing a wild “Fight of the Night” decision to Katona, but UFC still signed him to another contract.
Unfortunately, Gibson went 2-5 during his second stint, leaving him with a combined 3-8 UFC record.
SHANGHAI, CHINA – AUGUST 28: Aoriqileng of China poses on the scale during the UFC Fight Night official weigh-in at the InterContinental Shanghai Expo on August 28, 2026 in Shanghai, China. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)
Aoriqileng (26-14) had an entertaining UFC run but ultimately went 4-6 with one no contest across 11 Octagon appearances.
“The Mongolian Murderer” scored memorable victories over Cameron Else, Jay Perrin, Johnny Munoz and Gibson but dropped his final fight against former RIZIN champion Kai Asakura, suffering a second-round knockout at UFC Shanghai.
Lopes (14-4) competed on Contender Series twice before finally securing a UFC contract. “The Brazilian Hulk” completed only his first deal with the promotion, going 1-3 and suffering stoppage losses in all three defeats.
Oliveira (7-5-1), Cowan (7-6) and Nicoll (8-4) also reached the end of their first UFC contracts after going 0-4 inside the Octagon.
Finally, Izagakhmaev (22-4) was one of UFC’s strangest free-agent signings. The former ONE Championship standout competed just twice inside the Octagon, dropping consecutive decisions to Nicolas Dalby and Abubakar Vagaev before losing his roster spot.
With Contender Series contracts continuing to pile up every Tuesday night, these nine fighters probably won’t be the final roster casualties of 2026.
The UFC roster machine never stops.
For more on UFC’s latest roster-related cuts click here.