Maintaining a spot on the UFC roster is becoming increasingly difficult by the day. Under the Paramount+ CBS era, the promotion appears to be more selective than ever about who remains under contract with them, as the company has now parted ways with four more fighters, one of whom is a standout with an impressive 18-1 record.

According to UFC Roster Watch, the promotion has released Jamie Mullarkey (18-9), Lando Vannata (12-8-2), Vince Morales (16-11), and Daniel Marcos (18-1).

Looking at their MMA records, most of these departures make sense. However, the UFC parting ways with Daniel Marcos comes as a shocking surprise. But it appears the promotion did not outright cut the Peruvian prospect. According to MMA reporter Nolan King, Marcos’ contract simply expired, and the UFC decided not to renew it.

The bantamweight did face visa issues back in 2023 when a fight against Carlos Vera had to be canceled. Then there was the fight against Aoriqileng in 2024, which ended in a no-contest after an accidental groin strike from Marcos rendered his opponent unable to continue. But surprisingly, his last fight with Miles Johns at UFC Fight Night in November last year ended with a second-round submission victory for him.

Regardless, Daniel Marcos now exits the promotion with a 5-1 UFC record and a lone career defeat coming against Montel Jackson at UFC Des Moines in 2025. While Marcos’ departure stands out as the most surprising, the UFC’s decisions regarding the other fighters look obvious.

The Australian MMA fighter Jamie Mullarkey had long been regarded as one of the toughest fighters to emerge from Down Under. However, his UFC tenure ultimately proved to be a lackluster affair, as he dropped three of his last five outings. Well, after Mullarkey’s compatriot, Quillan Salkilld, defeated him in the first round at UFC 325 lightweight bout, it appears the promotion decided it was time to move on.

Then there is veteran Lando Vannata, who produced several memorable performances against Tony Ferguson and King Green between 2016 and 2020. However, the latter half of his career was plagued by canceled fights and a three-fight losing streak. Finally, Vince Morales is another release that few would dispute, considering he lost four consecutive fights. His current UFC record reads 3-9.

The latest wave of roster cuts follows the UFC’s recent parting ways with veteran Max Griffin, along with a string of new cuts emerging every week. So, it is a clear sign that the promotion is looking to create space for younger, emerging talent. Interestingly, reports suggest the UFC has already set its sights on a highly touted prospect who has generated some serious intrigue recently. 

UFC in talks to sign standout star from Jake Paul’s promotion

At Jake Paul’s Most Valuable Promotions’ inaugural event, Salahdine Parnasse impressed many with a second-round knockout victory over Kenneth Cross. Following the standout performance, the French-Moroccan star entered free agency and began searching for a new home. Reports suggest that the PFL is actively pursuing Parnasse, but the UFC has apparently joined the race as well.

Parnasse’s manager, Stephane Chaufourier, attended the PFL Brussels event, where he told RMC Sport that both the UFC and PFL have expressed interest in signing his fighter. He also assured fans that Parnasse’s future would be decided soon.

“In less than a month, we’ll have the name of Salahdine Parnasse’s organization,” Chaufourier stated.

With the UFC actively pursuing talents such as Salahdine Parnasse and, more recently, Gable Steveson, the roster appears to be undergoing a degree of reconstruction as the promotion moves further into the Paramount+ CBS era. At the same time, the UFC has shown that it is willing to part ways with even standout talents like Daniel Marcos if the business side of the equation becomes too difficult to manage.