Gianni Vazquez accepted the UFC’s call to face Javid Basharat in a 135 lbs showdown at the first Apex Fight Night event under the Paramount+ era on just two days’ notice. Though he lost, the Mexican prospect put on a competitive performance against an already established fighter and gained respect. Following that impressive showing, fans believed Vazquez could become the next dark horse who could achieve big things. But his ambitions remained unfulfilled as Dana White and Co. axed him after just one fight.

“❌ Fighter removed: Gianni Vazquez,” UFC roster watch posted on X, confirming the UFC cutting Gianni Vazquez from the roster.

For a while, ‘Kriptonita’ has earned recognition as one of the striking talents who could have built a bright future in the UFC. The former UNF flyweight champion also began his run on a relatively strong note. However, while his outing showed promise, the promotion should not have treated the debut loss as the main reason to cut him. The other factor likely raised concerns because of his blunder during the weight cut.

Before fighting ‘The Snow Leopard’, Vazquez weighed in at 141 pounds, which is 5 pounds over the bantamweight limit. The impact definitely brought backlash. But it was significant enough that his opponent, Javid Basharat, also ended up complaining. Given that he took the fight on very short notice, that miss shouldn’t be entirely surprising. But the surprising factor was that the former MMA champ had been a flyweight throughout his career and still struggled to make the 135-pound cut.

Was he nearly at the lightweight limit with his walkaround weight? Or was there any other reason for this weight miss? We don’t know yet. While Vazquez’s debut was promising, the fighter missing weight by five pounds ultimately overshadowed that in the eyes of the promotion, making the weight miss a deciding factor in his release.

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Following his release from the UFC, the 31-year-old has yet to address the issue that may have prompted Dana White and Co. to axe him. However, in the promotion’s list of surprising cuts, Javid Basharat’s name also appeared, as he too was released despite putting together a decent 4-2 record. And just when it seemed the promotion was done, cutting fighters, another name joined the list.

Nathan Fletcher joins Cage Warriors after UFC release

Alongside Vazquez and Basharat, Nathan Fletcher’s departure from the UFC also sparked discussion. Why? The English fighter delivered a promising run in Cage Warriors, which made fans eager to see whether Fletcher could reach Paddy Pimblett-level stardom after emerging from the same promotion. However, Fletcher opened his UFC stint on a disappointing note, losing to Kaan Ofli on The Ultimate Fighter Season 32.

Despite that setback, the promotion gave him another opportunity against Zygimantas Ramaska at UFC Fight Night: Burns vs Brady, and the Brit capitalized by securing a highlight-reel arm-triangle finish in the second round, restoring the hype around him. However, the 28-year-old Liverpudlian then dropped two consecutive fights, prompting the promotion to release him from the roster.

After the cut, Fletcher acted quickly. He returned to his roots and rejoined Cage Warriors. The promotion’s official social media announced that the former UFC bantamweight will compete at CW 202 in Manchester.

With the UFC parting ways with several newcomers and established names, will the promotion now actively pursue fresh talent across each division? Let us know in the comments section below.