Dana White addresses departure of undefeated UFC fighter

yahoo sports mma |  
Farid Basharat
Farid Basharat | Mike Roach, Zuffa LLC

Dana White suggested there’s more than meets the eye when it comes to Farid Basharat no longer being on the UFC roster.

The undefeated Basharat made headlines this week when MMA Fighting reported he was a free agent following the completion of his UFC contract. Basharat’s departure raised eyebrows due to his 16-0 record, including seven UFC victories. However, Basharat also secured just one finish during his time in the promotion, which led to theories that his style might not have been considered exciting enough in the eyes of officials.

Following Saturday’s UFC Edmonton event, UFC DEO Dana White was asked about the Basharat situation and alluded to issues beyond in-cage performance and contract numbers.

“I think that when guys’ contracts are up—I mean, this is the first time this has happened—either guys aren’t good to deal with and the matchmakers don’t want to deal with them, which could be turning down fights or whatever the reasoning is,” White said.

“If you’re 16-0, with seven wins in the UFC and don’t get re-signed, there’s definitely a reason.”

White didn’t elaborate on the reason for Basharat not being re-signed, nor were there any follow-up questions on the topic.

Earlier this week, Basharat released his own statement on his departure, writing, “My departure clearly has nothing to do with my fighting capabilities. Unfortunately the organization just isn’t what it used to be. They’re heading in a different direction from what we all grew up loving.”

Basharat’s brother Farid (4-2, 1 NC in the UFC) also parted ways with the UFC this year following a win over Gianni Vazquez.

This isn’t the first time White has made cryptic comments regarding a highly touted fighter not being brought back to the UFC. Undefeated flyweight Muhammad Mokaev was allowed to walk in 2024 after a lackluster win over top contender Manel Kape, and when White was asked why Mokaev was let go, he said, “There was so much bad shit that happened behind the scenes.” Mokaev had been involved in several altercations with Kape before their fight at UFC 304.