Fans are left disappointed as Derek Brunson is out of the UFC after dropping out from UFC 295. Fighters withdrawing from events is not new to the UFC, with instances of the likes of Khabib Nurmagomedov having pulled out of bouts multiple times. However, after a streak of two consecutive losses, ‘The One’ has abruptly parted ways from the promotion. This comes right after the news of his canceled November face-off with Roman Dolidze.

Fans were quick to blame Vince McMahon or Dana White for how this played out. However, many deemed the 39-year-old’s loss to Dricus Du Plessis the final blow. Despite dominating the first round, the veteran failed to keep up with ‘Stillknocks’ in the late second round. Scheduled to fight ‘The Caucasian’ for UFC 295, the sudden separation after an 11-year run with the promotion has left the MMA community reaching out for rationale.

Derek Brunson is out of the UFC

With a 5-win streak before his two losses in a row, the buzz is that his ‘unknown’ injuries are responsible for the split. As the news of the mutual separation broke, Ali Abdelaziz confirmed it in a statement to ESPN. “Derek Brunson has been under the UFC umbrella for 11 years. He had an amazing career there. The last seven years he’s been in the top 10 rankings,” says Abdelaziz while recalling ‘The Ones’ decade-long journey.

Abdelaziz added, “The UFC was amazing to him there, helped shape who he is today and we are very grateful for the opportunity. He has to move on and looking forward to what comes next for him.” Multiple sources have also confirmed the news of his exit, followed by an X post from the bot automated handle ‘UFC Roster Watch‘.

Dolidze has since called out Robert Whittaker on X, stating that since ‘Brunson is out,’ they could indulge in their long-awaited face-off end of the year. Meanwhile ‘The One’ has called out ‘The Problem Child’, simply addressing his name on the X post as a reply to Jake Paul’s challenge from 2021.

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Previously, in March 2023, after his brutal loss against Du Plessis, Brunson made an X post calling it his career. The post read, “Thanks for all who watched my career. Crazy fight tonight. My corner decided to stop it in the after the second rounds. Congrats to my opponent.” Connecting the dots, many speculate that retirement plans have been in order for the 39-year-old American fighter for a long time now.

Who takes the blame?

The community of MMA fans has been left in a frenzy right after the sudden break of the news. The UFC Roster Watch post has more than 600 comments from fans who are still skeptical about what really went down.  The r/WMMA community on Reddit is not much behind on this either. Some are even going as far as to take polls on ‘who really is responsible, Dana or Vince?’ Check out a few of these below:

From disbelief to utter chaos, the entire MMA community is yet to hear from the man of the hour ‘Brunson’ himself. Likewise, echoing his manager’s emotions, some are even looking forward to what he does next, retirement or otherwise. Who knows! Keeping up with Paul’s previous record a Brunson vs. Paul showdown seems entirely feasible.

With all the speculation and madness, what do you think is the real reason behind this split? Is it the veteran’s failing form and injuries or do you think he stepped away for a more grave reason? Tell us in the comments below.

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