The UFC’s recent roster purge isn’t subtle anymore. And Mohammed Usman just became the latest name to fall through the cracks. The former Ultimate Fighter winner and brother of ex-welterweight champion Kamaru Usman has officially been removed from the promotion. This release follows the confirmation of a 30-month suspension handed down by Combat Sports Anti-Doping (CSAD) for testing positive for multiple prohibited substances.

The timing makes the move feel colder than usual. Usman isn’t eligible to compete again until April 2028, when the suspension ends. That’s an eternity in a sport where momentum expires quickly, especially when you are 36. Add in a recent wave of cuts, and the message lands clearly: long layoffs plus controversy don’t buy you patience from the company anymore.

According to MMA Fighting, the UFC confirmed that Usman has been removed from the roster following his suspension for testing positive for banned substances. The Combat Sports Anti-Doping (CSAD) ruling laid out the details in blunt terms. Officials said Usman admitted to using testosterone and the peptide BPC-157.

As per the statement, “While aggravating circumstances can double a standard suspension, because Usman ultimately admitted to the prohibited behavior, CSAD determined that a six-month addition to the standard 2-year suspension for using these substances was appropriate for these aggravating factors.”

Usman tried to own the mistake when the suspension was announced. “I want to address my suspension. During my recovery, I made a mistake while trying to heal, and I take full responsibility for it,” he wrote on Instagram, adding that he’s focusing on his health and family while staying “committed to growth and doing things the right way.”

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However, he wasn’t the only one cut loose. Welterweight Adam Fugitt was also removed from the roster this week. His exit, though, was more straightforward. A tough 2-4 run in the octagon, with losses to Michael Morales, Mike Malott, and Islam Dulatov, capped by a knockout loss to Ty Miller at UFC 324, left him on thin ice and made his removal from the roster less of a surprise.

Fighters can come back under new contracts. But in practical terms, this is a hard reset. Both Usman and Fugitt are now free agents, and the next chapter depends on whether they can stack wins elsewhere and force the UFC’s hand again. However, they weren’t the only ones who have now found themselves outside the promotion.

UFC releases Jailton Almeida, Javid Basharat

In the past few weeks, the UFC has quietly trimmed fighters who were ranked, active, and, in some cases, winning. The recent one being Jailton Almeida. The Brazilian heavyweight was informed he’s being released, and the reason being whispered is uncomfortable but familiar: too boring. That label followed him even when he was winning. Almeida leaves the UFC with an 8–3 record, but momentum matters. He’s coming off a short-notice loss to Rizvan Kuniev at UFC Vegas 113, his second straight defeat, and the performance didn’t help his case.

This is now the fourth Top-15 heavyweight the UFC has cut in the past year, joining Jairzinho Rozenstruik, Martin Buday, and Alexandr Romanov. However, Javid Basharat‘s release is where the logic gets murkier. The bantamweight literally just won at UFC Vegas 113, improving to 15–2 (1) overall and 4–2 (1) in the UFC. The fight was competitive, even with Gianni Vasquez missing weight by six pounds. And yet, Basharat was removed from the roster after his contract expired.

Alex Morono’s exit feels the most brutal in terms of timing. Three days after getting battered over three rounds by Daniil Donchenko at UFC Vegas 113, a fight that reportedly sent him to the hospital for precautionary scans, Morono was removed from the roster. So what’s the pattern? In 2026, staying on the UFC roster isn’t only about being good enough. It’s about being worth the slot.