One of the most surprising developments this past week involved The UFC decided not to re-sign their undefeated top 10 contender in Farid Basharat. Instead of getting high profile action in the UFC after his seventh straight win, the 29-year-old Afghan prospect was let go from the promotion.
When asked about parting ways with the undefeated candidate, Dana White remained vague on the matter.
“When guys’ contracts expire — and it’s not the first time this has happened. Either the guys aren’t good to deal with or the matchmakers don’t want to deal with them, which could be a rejection of fights or whatever the reason is,” White said. UFC Edmonton post-fight press conference.
“When you go 16-0 with 7 wins in the UFC and you don’t get re-signed, there must be a reason.”
However, as he noted in the press, this is not the first time that the UFC leaves fighters, despite good sports achievements and rankings. Wins increase wages, but if you’re Michael Page or Basharat, who has six decisions with seven wins, the promotion has repeatedly shown that they are willing to cut ties with those they deem boring or not worth the investment.
The UFC has prioritized viral moments and cheap talent to maximize margins, and moves like these show they can behave more like an entertainment company than a legitimate sports league.
“Despite the lack of finishes, I wouldn’t call Bashara a boring or uninteresting fighter. He’s known for his high work rate and smooth transitions between striking and grappling, which has made for several back-and-forth battles filled with constant, technical action,” he wrote. “However, the UFC cannot claim to be home to all the best fighters when they deliberately target athletes who – according to their system – are in the top 10 in the world in a weight class.”