Dana White’s axe has been a little unforgiving this year, falling on fighters like Jared Gooden, Jairzinho Rozenstruik, and Jamal Pogues so far. However, the promotion has also rewarded some, allowing them to stay. Just a few days ago, Brad Tavares was retained after his contract expired, perhaps because he’s on the verge of breaking Michael Bisping’s record of most middleweight wins. Unfortunately, the same can’t be said for another veteran, whose departure left fans saddened.

Alex Caceres, who drove the fans crazy with his amazing combinations. His right-hand switch kick highlight reel knockout against Julian Erosa in 2022 was one of the moments that made ‘Bruce Leeroy’ recognized. After 14 years of producing incredible fights, he’s finally leaving the promotion. His journey in the UFC was nothing short of a wild ride. He was an alumnus of The Ultimate Fighter Season 12 in 2010, and since then, he has remained a part of the promotion. 

‘Bruce Leeroy’ has been in there with some of the toughest guys around—Urijah Faber, Yair Rodriguez, Sergio Pettis, Giga Chikadze, and the list goes on. He had a pretty amazing run between 2019 and 2021 too, racking up five straight wins over names like Chase Hooper and Seung Woo Choi. But lately, it’s been a rough patch with back-to-back losses to Chikadze and Sean Woodson. No official word on why he’s out, but it’s safe to assume that the losing streak probably played a part.

Well, it’s always hard to see such a veteran leaving the Apex MMA promotion. But, good news for the fans is we are going to see another ex-UFC fighter, Saidyokub Kakhramonov, at Mike Perry’s Dirty Boxing Championship on June 14th in Miami, Florida, in his hometown. Caceres is going to co-headline DBX 2 with former UFC heavyweight Jairzinho Rozenstruik in the main event against Devon Schwan.

As soon as word got out that Alex Caceres was done with the UFC, fans didn’t waste time letting their thoughts be known. The guy’s been around forever, and with his funky style and smooth fight game, it’s no surprise he became a fan favorite. He might’ve flown under the radar sometimes, but people definitely noticed, and they had a lot to say once the news dropped.

Fans send well wishes to Alex Caceres for leaving the UFC after 14 years

One fan summed it up perfectly, writing, “Bro he was amazing, he kinda found a second wind recently too.” Probably a nod to that solid little run Caceres had not too long ago. Sure, his record was a bit up and down over the years, but when it came to performances, the guy always showed up. Another fan followed up with, “Such an insane resume.” Again, reflecting on his facing legends like Urijah Faber and Yair Rodriguez. 

One fan seemed pretty sure that no matter where Caceres goes, he’s still gonna bring the heat, writing, “Nobody, and I mean absolutely nobody dislikes Alex Caceres. Whatever is in this dude’s future, we’re all gonna be watching.” Well, turns out we won’t have to wait long, he’s already signed with DBX2 and is set to be on the card. Another fan added, “I always felt like the dude was pretty underrated.” Might be true, but there were many eyes on Caceres, when he displayed his flashy combinations. 

The internet is always a wild place, and even in moments of reflection, humor finds its way in. As fans expressed their sadness over Caceres’s departure, one user hilariously commented, “Carlito left the UFC,” referencing WWE’s Carlito, who shares a similar hairstyle with Caceres. Another fan chimed in with, “7-3 in his last 10, so he definitely should’ve stayed,” pointing out that many of those fights were against tough opponents like Sean Woodson and Sodiq Yusuff.

While Caceres has already signed with Dirty Boxing, one user excitedly commented, “BKFC TIME.” Honestly, the idea of Alex Caceres in Bare Knuckle, possibly promoted by Conor McGregor, sounds like a must-watch moment waiting to happen. After that the usual fans saying, “Bruce Leeroy will be missed in the Octagon,” also continued. 

Alex Caceres might be stepping away from the UFC for now, and sure, there could be a bunch of reasons behind it. But let’s not forget, he hasn’t retired. So who knows? A comeback isn’t off the table. I mean, look at Jose Aldo, who took a detour into boxing and still made his way back. With that in mind, drop your favorite Alex Caceres moment in the UFC.