UFC Passes On Re-Signing Welterweight Riding 24-Fight Unbeaten Streak Despite 6-0-1 Promotional Run
A promising welterweight is set to continue his career elsewhere after the UFC chose not to renew his contract once he completed his existing deal.
As initially reported by MMA journalist Tom Feely of Sherdog, Rinat Fakhretdinov has fulfilled the terms of his contract with the UFC and was not offered a new deal, with no official explanation provided by the promotion.
Fakhretdinov’s final bout under the contract came against Andreas Gustafsson at UFC Paris this past September, where he scored a lightning-fast 54-second TKO to extend his unbeaten professional streak to 24 fights.
“Gladiator” recently took to social media after the promotion opted not to offer him a fresh deal, expressing gratitude to fans for their support and messages in the aftermath.
“I’m receiving a huge number of messages with words of support from all over the world – thank you so much, friends! See you soon,” Rinat Fakhretdinov wrote on Instagram.
When Did Rinat Fakhretdinov Make His UFC Debut?
Rinat Fakhretdinov kicked off his promotional run at UFC Vegas 56 in June 2022, delivering a commanding unanimous decision victory over Andreas Michailidis. “Gladiator” carried that momentum forward with a win against Bryan Battle before turning heads with a highlight-reel first-round submission of Kevin Lee at UFC Vegas 76 in July 2023.
The 34-year-old Russian’s lone setback in the organization came against Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos in November 2023, a bout that ultimately resulted in a majority draw.
Fakhretdinov steadied himself afterward, rebounding with back-to-back victories over Nicolas Dalby and Carlos Leal in 2024 before closing out his tenure with a win against Andreas Gustafsson.
