As the UFC prepares to wrap up its 2026 season, the promotion has undergone some noticeable changes this year. It entered a new broadcasting era with Paramount+ in January and introduced fresh bonus structures for its fighters. Yet, amid all the changes, some things remain constant. Dana White continued parting ways with ranked fighters, and Jon Anik once again secured his place behind the microphone. 

On Wednesday, the UFC issued a press release confirming that Anik had signed a long-term deal with the promotion, ensuring he will continue to serve as its lead play-by-play commentator. 

“I am beyond grateful for these last 15 years with the UFC,” Jon Anik said. “I’ve had the chance to learn from and work with so many talented people… there is no live production team in all of television that I would rather go to bat for—and I will never take this seat for granted.

“Eternal thanks to the MMA athletes, who fight and train so hard and allow so many of us fans to work in the sport we love… I am so excited to be a part of what this monster organization does moving forward.”  

Anik didn’t disclose the details of his new contract, including its duration or how much the UFC is paying him. However, reports from MMA Fighting and other outlets confirmed that the 48-year-old has indeed signed a long-term deal with the promotion.

Anik staying with the UFC for the foreseeable future isn’t remotely surprising, considering the promotion has repeatedly extended his contract with lengthy deals.  

The Boston native joined the UFC in 2011, with Dana White himself announcing his arrival in the promotion. However, Anik made his official commentary debut in January 2012 at UFC on FX: Guillard vs. Miller. From there, he never looked back. 

After two years behind the microphone, Jon Anik’s first UFC contract reportedly came to an end in September 2014. Speaking on The MMA Hour, Anik revealed that the promotion had renewed his contract but stopped short of disclosing the finer details. But the duration of his deal eventually came to light when news of his next contract extension surfaced.

Anik’s next major UFC deal arrived in October 2018, securing his place with the promotion for another four years. This time, however, Anik confirmed to MMA Junkie that he had signed a fresh four-year agreement, pushing his contract’s expiry to 2022.

That deal has since run its course this year, paving the way for his latest renewal in November 2026. Given the pattern of his previous agreements, it wouldn’t be surprising if Anik’s newest contract follows a similar 4-year long-term arrangement or more.  

Now, as Jon Anik enjoys his continued partnership with the UFC, ranked fighters are steadily finding their way out of the promotion.

Dana White continues axing ranked fighters 

Gone are the days when fighters had to completely exhaust their opportunities in the promotion before finally getting cut. Dana White’s unforgiving axe could come down on anybody, and it doesn’t matter whether someone is a ranked fighter or boasts an undefeated record.

Recently, the debate resurfaced when the UFC parted ways with bantamweight Norma Dumont, who was on the cusp of earning a title shot. The Brazilian was ranked No. 4 in the 135-pound division, despite having lost two fights in a row. Even then, there was a chance Dumont could have easily secured a few more wins and worked her way into contention for the belt. But alas, she knew it wasn’t possible.

Speaking about her UFC exit, Dumont confirmed that she had requested her release with two fights remaining on her contract. After learning that the UFC wouldn’t re-sign her, she welcomed the opportunity to leave and began exploring lucrative offers from boxing and MMA promotions.

Indeed, it was Dumont who approached the UFC for her release. However, according to her revelation, the promotion had no intention of re-signing her anyway, suggesting that her getting cut from the UFC was inevitable.

This instance isn’t surprising, considering it wasn’t the only time something like this happened. 

In October, the UFC released undefeated bantamweight Farid Basharat from its roster after his contract expired. With Basharat ranked No. 13 in the 135-pound division, the promotion’s decision raised eyebrows. The Afghan-British fighter expressed his disappointment on social media, but he certainly had company in that regard.

Ketlen Vieira, who was a top-five contender in the women’s bantamweight division, also had title aspirations. However, she too had to say goodbye to those ambitions after the UFC chose not to renew her contract in May 2026. Following her departure, Vieira joined PFL and faced Cris Cyborg. 

Last year, the UFC also parted ways with ranked heavyweight Jairzinho Rozenstruik.

The UFC has never provided a detailed explanation for all its roster decisions. However, the promotion is always on the hunt for exciting talent that can bring fresh eyes to its divisions. Programs such as Dana White’s Contender Series have helped replenish the roster with emerging talents like Alex Apodaca, Akbar Abdullaev, and others.

The UFC’s roster-cutting trend continues even when ranked fighters are involved, if the promotion decides they no longer fit its plans. But ultimately, the bottom line is that fighters have to provide value, just as Jon Anik continues to do behind the microphone, making himself an almost irreplaceable part of the UFC broadcast team.